All You Ever Wanted
by Zyra M
Summary: Han and Leia have been happily married for a few years, only to decide to take the next logical step.  Unfortunately, trouble seems to always have a way of finding them. Alternate version of circumstances surrounding the birth of Jaina and Jacen Solo.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **_**This story was previously published as a stand-alone and titled "Five Years After the Victory" A terrible title to be sure, which is probably why hardly anyone read it. I had always wanted to expand on it and have it be the beginning of a much larger story and I've finally done that. So most of this first chapter, with some additional material at the end, has already been up here for those of you who might find it familiar. Hopefully you enjoy and feedback is appreciated. **_

_**Also, thanks to ShouldIGetOutandPush for the help and for making me publish this. Without you, it would just be another file on my hard drive to never see the light of day.**_

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It had been five standard years since the second Death Star had been destroyed. It seemed odd to Leia Organa Solo to celebrate a war, but she could not deny the significance of the event. A new government had come to rule the galaxy, and she had been instrumental in its inception. Those within this New Republic had decided to commemorate the defeat with a formal party to celebrate all that they had accomplished.

Leia stood in front of the mirror in the large bedroom she shared with her husband, Han. When they had fallen in love in the middle of that war she had never imagined that they would end up as they had, living in a luxurious apartment overlooking the vast city of Coruscant, but her life was nothing if not continually surprising.

Leia finished getting her long, chestnut hair up and away from her neck as it spiraled into a tightly-wound bun, allowing a few stray curls to dangle at her temples and then inspected her full-length reflection. She was dressed in a simple yet revealing scarlet red dress. The hem sat a few inches above her knees revealing a bit of her thigh, and the v-shaped neckline dipped lower than she normally liked, tightly clinging to her skin and accentuating her breasts.

She had to suppress a laugh. It was no wonder Han had picked the outfit. He was never one for formal functions, but he agreed not to complain if she promised to wear the dress he had bought for her. It seemed like a simple enough thing to do if it would keep him from whining, but she had to wonder how she would be viewed by the many other guests at the celebration. She was fumbling with the clasp on her silver necklace when Han emerged from the 'fresher and noticed her trouble.

"Here, let me," he said as he reached up and fastened the jewelry as the touch of his warm fingers on her cool skin made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. "There you go. Now turn around so I can look at you."

He placed his hands on her shoulders and spun her around to face him. "You look absolutely stunning, sweetheart," he said with a grin. "Wow."

"Thank you." She reached up and gently slid his hands from her shoulders, grasping them and taking a step away so she could look him up and down. She so rarely got a chance to see him dressed up like this. He wore plain, black pants tucked into his perfectly shined boots. She didn't think she had ever seen one of his double-breasted white shirts so well pressed, worn underneath a simple, open black jacket that ended right at his waist line. He had even combed his hair more neatly than she had seen since their wedding four years prior, now quite a bit shorter than it had been when she'd known him those first few years. She took a moment to appreciate how his pants seemed to fit just tight enough to accentuate his toned physique.

She playfully swung his hands back and forth in her own and couldn't help smiling at him. "I had no idea my husband could look so dashing. You clean up pretty nice."

"I wouldn't do it for anyone but you, you know."

"I know. Thank you." Sliding her hand up to the back of his neck, she pulled his head down and gave him a quick kiss on his smooth, freshly-shaven cheek, resting just a moment to inhale the musky scent of his aftershave.

Han looked disappointed. "What, that's it?"

"What did you have in mind?"

He reached a hand around to the small of her back and pressed her entire body up against his own. "Something like this," he said as he leaned down to give her a long, lingering kiss.

A few moments later, she pulled away just enough to speak. "You know, we're never going to make it to the party if we keep this up."

"Would that be such a bad thing?"

She felt the heat of his breath on her lips as he spoke and her internal desires started overriding her brain which was telling her that it was time to leave, no matter how appealing the alternative. It took what seemed like all of her willpower to give him one more quick kiss before she pressed her palms to his chest and pushed him away. "Later."

"Promise?"

"Absolutely." She gazed at him one more time, now getting a full view of him in his finest. "You know, it's ironic that an outfit can make you look so good that all I want to do is get you out of it."

The seductive glimmer in his hazel eyes and the familiar, lopsided grin that crossed his lips was almost enough for her to forget about the party again. "I feel the same way, Princess."

A quick glance at the chrono was enough to snap Leia back to reality. "We're going to be late. Come on." She grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the door.

"Just don't forget your promise," Han said, sounding slightly disappointed.

"I don't think that's going to be an issue."

* * *

The celebration was held in a cavernous ballroom that was made to look even larger by a circular skylight that took up most of the ceiling, revealing the stars overhead. If she had to guess, Leia would bet there were at least five hundred in attendance, dancing to the live orchestra, sampling the vast spread of gourmet food from the farthest reaches of the galaxy, sipping on expensive wines and champagnes or simply mingling with others.

From the moment they had walked in the door she and Han had been separated. It was certainly not voluntary, but given what the celebration was commemorating and their significance to said event, it was no wonder that many guests required their attention. She wondered what it must be like to be able to walk into a party like that and just be able to blend in and avoid the constant barrage of people. And although she did have to admit that she liked the way her dress looked on her, she was feeling particularly exposed without Han by her side.

She was in the middle of listening to some diplomats discussing how things had changed for the better while she sipped on her wine and waited for an appropriate break in conversation to sneak away. She glanced across the room and noticed Lando, who appeared to be having the time of his life. From the looks of his emphatic hand gestures, he must've been regaling the surrounding pilots with the story of how he had led the fight to destroy the Death Star and the subsequent escape.

Her eyes moved to the opposite side of the room, where she found whom she was looking for. Han was leaning against the wall, sipping on something Leia couldn't quite make out, but she was pretty sure it was strong because she knew how much he hated events like this - not so much the party, but the endless talking. Like it or not, he had become quite a celebrity, which meant that he had to deal with strangers who just wanted a chance to hear the amazing stories straight from the source.

What they didn't know was that Han no longer enjoyed bragging about those kinds of accomplishments. He could talk for hours about the modifications he had made on his ship and how fast she was, and he had no problem talking about all of the things that Leia had done. But for whatever reason, he tended to downplay his involvement in the defeat of the Empire. He always said that he was just doing what needed to be done, and anyone in his position would've done the same. Either that or he figured that if he didn't elaborate too much, maybe people would leave him alone.

He looked particularly annoyed at this point, staring into the copper-colored liquid in his glass and only occasionally looking up to either nod or give what looked to be one-word answers to the smiling group of older gentlemen whom Leia couldn't quite make out but looked to be generals from somewhere who were doing most of the talking. As though sensing her eyes on him, Han looked to Leia and gave her a look that seemed to plead, "Help me!"

Leia merely smiled. It was far too early in the evening to let him off the hook just yet, and she gave him an almost imperceptible shake of her head and mouthed, "No". He returned with a mock-hurt look before giving her a wink and taking a gulp of his drink, then returned his inattentiveness to the conversation he was stuck in.

Leia nearly jumped when she felt someone put an arm around her shoulder but was relieved to when she turned to see her brother. "Luke, you startled me. Are you having a good time?"

"Normally I'm not much for parties. But considering the occasion, I'd say I'm enjoying myself. What about you? You must be so proud of everything you've done and how far we've come in the past five years."

"Of course I am." The truth was, what she was most proud of was the fact that she had stepped aside years ago to allow others to take the forefront. She maintained an active role in the senate, but it was nowhere near the high rank or level of involvement she had early on. From the time she could speak she had devoted her life to serve others, always letting her duty come before herself, and that sense of duty had almost cost her the love of her life. She had spent years denying her love for Han simply because she believed that people such as herself didn't have time for selfish things like that when so much needed to be done. She would be eternally grateful for Han's persistence and the fact that he never gave up on making her relent and let herself come first for once. Most men surely wouldn't have been nearly as patient - and she knew that firsthand. Her new position allowed her just enough involvement to have some influence, but not so much that it took over her entire life.

This fact would prove to be especially important soon enough, as she and Han had been talking about starting a family. Only a few short months ago they had decided that it was something they both wanted and had stopped taking any sorts of precautions to prevent having children before they were ready. It wasn't an easy decision to make, given the knowledge of Leia's parentage, but in the end, they decided that they couldn't hold back out of fear of what any child of theirs might become. All they could do was raise any children to the best of their abilities and hope for the best. It was really all any parent could hope for.

"Han sure looks like he's having fun, as always," Luke said as he pointed towards his brother-in-law, who looked even more disinterested than before.

"You know how much he loves small talk. What about you, though? How did you get a free second? I figured you'd be the hit of the party."

"Oh, I have been." Luke lowered his voice. "But I decided to give myself a bit of a break, so I sort of _suggested_ to that last group of young pilots who wanted to hear about blowing up the first Death Star that they would much rather go get something to eat than listen to me talk anymore."

"That doesn't seem like a very Jedi-like thing to do... but would you please teach me?"

Luke had to laugh. "Sorry, sis. It's a pretty advanced technique. But why don't you go over there and save your husband from an evening of misery? You're here together, why don't you at least try and have a good time?"

By that point, the group of men Leia had been somewhat-conversing with had begun to talk amongst themselves and it seemed like the perfect time to slip away unnoticed, so she slowly stepped away from them with Luke in tow. "Thanks, Luke. I think I needed to be reminded that this was a party and it's supposed to be fun."

"You're welcome. Now please, go stop him before he drinks himself into a stupor just from trying to forget where he is."

"Will do. And you go enjoy yourself, too."

"I will."

They parted ways and Leia focused her attention on the handsome but miserably bored-looking Corellian on the other side of the dance floor. The orchestra had begun to play a particularly lovely piece of music that Leia recalled by an Alderaani composer. She had heard it many times at functions such as this that she had attended when she was a child, and fondly remembered seeing the adults dancing slowly to the rhythmic melody, hoping one day to have someone of her own to dance with. She kept her eyes focused on Han, who was staring into his now-empty glass so intently that he didn't even notice her as she approached.

She slid a hand down his arm, took the glass out of his hand and placed it on the tray of a passing server-droid. "Care to dance, General?"

Han looked at her with a combination of relief and excitement. "Excuse us, gentlemen," Leia said to the group of men Han had been 'talking' to. They hardly even seemed to notice as she led Han by the hand to the center of the dance floor, placed one hand on his shoulder and stretched his other to meet hers. He entwined his fingers with hers and rested his other hand at the small of her back before they began moving to the soothing music.

"This is much better," Han said.

"I agree."

"You know, I'm starting to have second thoughts about asking you to wear that dress."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah. I mean, you look incredible in it, but I'm starting to get a little jealous of the way these other guys are looking at you."

"You don't have to be jealous." She slid a hand up to the back of his neck and pulled his head down so that she could whisper in his ear. "You're the only one who gets to see what's underneath."

She could feel his lips on her ear as he replied, "I'm going to take you up on that later."

"Promise?"

"Mmmm..."

They swayed to the music and seemed to forget that there were hundreds of other people in the room, many of whom had also coupled up and joined them on the dance floor. Leia put her head against Han's chest and shut her eyes, drinking in the clean scent of his soap and aftershave, as well as the hypnotic movements to the ancient tune.

"Can you believe it's been five years?" Leia said against his chest, feeling his thumb gently stroking the small of her back.

"No, but I also can't believe it's been eight years since I met you. Or how I survived before that."

"Now you're just trying to flatter me. I already told you that you're getting lucky tonight."

"I'm just stating a fact."

"Well, thank you for continuing to pursue me no matter how much I tried to resist or how many awful names I called you."

"The challenge only made it more fun. And I knew you were worth it."

She paused for a moment and just listened to the music, allowing the memories of the last time she'd heard it to permeate her brain. "They used to play this song all the time on Alderaan at big functions like this that I would go to with my father. I had forgotten how beautiful it is. I used to watch all of the grown-ups dance and dream about when I was older and had my own dancing partner."

"I'm going to guess that I am not at all what you pictured."

Leia laughed and looked up at him to answer honestly. "No."

"That's what I'm here for," he said as he pulled her possessively closer, "shattering dreams."

She lifted her head again and gave him a light, playful smack in the ribs. "You know that's not how I meant it. No, I had no idea what it was that I wanted. He certainly wasn't going to be so darn tall, or so stubborn and argumentative."

Han interrupted her. "Or someone who spends so much time hanging out with a Wookiee, broke more galactic laws than you can count with all of your extremities, so clearly doesn't belong at a party like this, getting treated like a hero and dancing with the Princess..."

"And he certainly wasn't supposed to be such a smart-ass," Leia interjected. "But that's what I love most about you. Well, not just being a smart-ass, but being yourself and making me laugh. And being such a brave, kind, giving, wonderful man. Even if you only do those last few reluctantly. And don't tell anyone I told you so, but you're not bad to look at, Solo."

"Well, I definitely never saw myself with anyone like you, either."

"Of course you didn't. I'm way out of your league."

"I don't need you to tell me that." Han replied. "I keep waiting for you to come to your senses and realize what a terrible mistake you made by marrying me."

"I'm not going to change my mind, Han. Like it or not, you're stuck with me."

"Well, I suppose I can live with that. Even if it does make me question your better judgment."

"I happen to be an excellent judge of character. And someday you're just going to have to come to terms with the fact that I love you _because _of who you are and not in spite of it."

"Then I guess I'll just have to do my best to make sure your feelings on the matter never change."

"Well, you've done a pretty good job so far. Which once again just proves what a smart choice I made."

They smiled at each other then, and for a few moments just enjoyed swaying to the music. Han bent down to whisper quietly in Leia's ear as they continued to dance, "Is it time to go home yet and see what's under that dress?"

She returned in an equally quiet tone, "No, but I promise it'll be worth the wait."

"Always is."

They rocked back and forth to the beat of the music and Leia could almost picture the view she had as a child, watching others doing the dancing. She had a flash of what the scene would look like to her own child, standing on the sidelines watching her parents dance. How comforting it would be to see them not only together, but so much in love.

When she looked at Han's face now she couldn't help but picture the family they were trying to create; the children that would be equal parts of the two of them. It was funny to her that something she'd never thought she really wanted could suddenly become her deepest desire. Then again, she'd had a similar change of heart when it came to the man looking back at her just then.

They'd been trying for a few months without success, but the best doctors had assured her that they were both perfectly normal and certainly fertile - a remark that had made Han smile - and if they simply continued to try then nature would take its course. So that is exactly what they had been doing. And she knew that Han had thoroughly enjoyed his participation in that effort.

The song regretfully came to an end and the throng of dancers turned to applaud the orchestra. Leia hooked her arm with Han's. "Well, would you like to get something to eat now?"

"Sure, I'm starved."

They barely had a chance to add a couple of appetizers to their plates from the grand buffet when Lando patted Han on the back and nearly made him choke on his Taanabian dumpling. "Hey, buddy! Great party!"

Han let out a few throat-clearing coughs and sputtered through a mouthful of food, "Yeah, absolutely."

"Hey, a couple of newer Rogue Squadron pilots are interested in hearing from the source about how you managed to disable the shield generator."

"Eh, what's to tell? You sneak in, you plant a bomb and run away before it explodes."

"Oh, come on, you know it wasn't as simple as that. These kids are dying to meet Han Solo."

Han seemed to be staring longingly at the plate of food in front of him. "Oh, all right. Fine." Han quickly shoved another dumpling in his mouth and set down his plate.

"I'll have him back soon, Leia," Lando said as he put an arm around Han. "By the way, I love that dress."

"Thank you, Lando," Leia replied, almost laughing as she watched Han roll his eyes. "And don't let him drink too much!" She watched the two men walk away and allowed herself a quick glimpse of Han's rear before she returned her attention to the buffet. It would surely be hours before she got him home, and she didn't want to get ahead of herself.


	2. Chapter 2

A few hours later the party was still going strong. Han couldn't remember the last time one of these parties had gone on for so long, but it wasn't every day that there was an event of this magnitude. He had actually managed to have a good time once Lando had dragged him reluctantly to meet the Rogue pilots. He got caught up in their youthful enthusiasm and actually enjoyed talking to them, seeing how they were genuinely interested and not just making conversation - interested not just in what he had done, but in specific piloting maneuvers he had pulled off. It wasn't that often that he got to discuss those kinds of things with people who actually understood what he was talking about, and their apparent awe was also starting to grow on him. They reminded him a bit of himself at that age, which was a nice change of pace from the old men Han usually got stuck talking to.

He was already on the Kessell run when he heard the voice of Mon Mothma echoing through the loudspeakers and calling for the attention of the room. Why did speeches always have to ruin a perfectly good party? Nobody ever wanted to listen to people talk, anyway. With his eyes focused on the Chief of State, he didn't notice the slight form of his wife approaching before she slipped an arm around his waist and rested her head against his chest while the sweet smell of her perfume wafted into his nose.

Han didn't hear a word Mon Mothma was saying. His head was lost in his own memories of the war and its climatic conclusion. Had it really been that long ago? He was snapped back to the present when everyone in the room raised their glasses high in the air, Leia doing the same by his side. Han raised his own.

"To the end of the war, and peace in the galaxy."

The room erupted into applause and Han took a sip of his drink, only now realizing how long he must've been holding it since it was warm and flat. He decided to set it aside and get a fresh one later.

The orchestra began to play another tune, and Han turned to look at his wife. "Another dance?"

Leia merely smiled, took his hand and led him back to the dance floor.

* * *

Several dances later the crowd had begun to thin. No matter how great a party was, it had to end sometime. Han and Leia were intermittently saying goodbye to people, and Han was reminded by a sharp growl from his stomach that he had forgotten to eat dinner. He tapped Leia on the shoulder while she was saying goodnight to General Rieekan. "I'll be right back, sweetheart."

Leia just gave him a nod of acknowledgement while Han slipped over to the buffet to see what was left. It wasn't much, but he got a few remnants of what was probably once a delectable spread and was now simply cold and chewier than he figured it should be. He turned to stand with his back to the table, defeated and still hungry. He tried to form a mental picture of his kitchen back home and remember if he or Leia had remembered to restock the pantry.

The picture vanished in a flash as he felt a hand slide onto his behind. "Hey!" He instinctively arched forward, but quickly relaxed when he saw that familiar red dress.

"Sorry, you never had any objections to my doing that before." Leia said.

"I didn't know it was you."

"What, do you get a lot of strangers who come up and touch you like that?"

"Can you blame them?"

"Nope." She stood in front of him and slid her hands into the back pockets of his pants. A bold gesture in public, but with his back up against the buffet table nobody could see it. "Are you ready to go home?"

The gleam in her brown eyes told him there was only one obvious answer. "Without a doubt."

* * *

They exited the grand ballroom, hand in hand. The few remaining guests were all awaiting one of the many droid escort cars that had been arranged for rides home for what would surely be a room full of inebriated guests. Han wasn't drunk, but he also knew enough to realize when it was best for him not to be in operation of a vehicle. Besides, not having to concentrate on driving gave him the opportunity to get the best part of his evening started with Leia in the back seat.

The droids assigned for these tasks typically were hard-wired to keep their attention on their flight path. So it was no problem for Han who was hard-wired to focus his attention on his wife. Well, his attention, and his hands, and his lips...

From the moment they had entered the vehicle and Han had told the droid where to go he had his hands on Leia's back, pulling her towards him for a devouring kiss that he had been dying to give her since they had left their apartment seven hours ago.

Leia responded with equal fervor and he felt her starting to pull the jacket off his shoulders. She must've suddenly remembered where she was because she stopped herself and instead rubbed one hand against his back while the other slid up into the hair on the back of his head. He loved it when she did that.

Now he was forgetting where he was, because a wandering hand started to slide up the outside of her thigh and under her dress. He felt her hand clamp down on his and she pulled her lips away. "Slow down, hotshot. We're almost home. I can't have you ruining my public image. Someone might see us."

"That's what makes it so exciting." He playfully nibbled at the side of her neck and got the laugh he was looking for. They would be back at their apartment in less than five minutes, but to Han at the moment, that seemed like an eternity.

She placed her hands on Han's cheeks and brought his face to hers for one more taunting kiss. "You waited years the first time, you can handle a few more minutes now."

She didn't give him a chance to respond but instead turned in his arms and leaned her back up against his side. "It is pretty amazing, isn't it?"

Han had no idea what she was referring to; his mind was only focused on one thing at the moment. "Huh?"

"How much has happened in the past five years. How different things are. Not being at war anymore."

"Oh," that certainly hadn't been where Han's train of thought had been headed. "Yeah. Never would've happened without you."

"Or you."

"Me? Nah, you would've found some other smart-ass to do the junk that I did. You're the one that led them."

"Oh, will you stop trying to play it so modest? It's pretty out of character."

"Hey, I'm just trying to get you into bed. And that, sweetheart, is very much in character."

"Well then, you're about to get your wish, because we're here."

The vehicle pulled up to the front of the building that housed Han and Leia's apartment. Han exited first and extended his arm to assist Leia. The cool night air gave Han a chill, and seeing as he was considerably more covered than Leia, he moved quickly to get her inside. They waited, hand in hand, for the repulsorlift to arrive in the lobby. Once inside, Han was surprised when Leia pinned him against the wall and moved in for another kiss.

"Not worried about your reputation anymore?"

"I figure we're safe by now," she responded before kissing him once again, opening her mouth to slide her tongue against his. Han had never regretted so much choosing an apartment on the 237th floor. Why did all of the buildings in this city have to be so damn tall? After another eternity, the doors finally slid open and Han just managed to stumble forward after Leia detangled her leg from his.

They made it across the hallway and were finally in the privacy of their own apartment. All along Han had been thinking about the bed, but his anxiousness only got him as far as the couch about two meters from the door, where he promptly collapsed on top of Leia as gently as possible, never breaking their embrace.

"I thought you said you wanted to get me into bed," Leia said.

"This was quicker," Han replied as his mouth worked against the sensitive skin on her neck.

"I hope you don't plan on doing everything the quick and easy way."

That stopped Han cold and he pushed himself up on his arms to give her a mock-hurt look. There was a wicked smile on her lips, and he could tell that she knew she had said just what she needed to say to get exactly what she wanted.

"Never." He swept her up in his arms and carried her towards their bedroom.

Leia smiled at Han as his eyes never left hers while he carried her. Reaching the foot of the bed, he lowered her carefully onto the mattress and moved to hover over her. She expected him to pounce immediately, but was surprised when he paused and simply gazed at her adoringly. She reached up to run a hand along his cheek as he pressed it into her palm.

He leaned down and kissed her slowly at first, just a touch of his lips on hers. Her response was quick and unquestionable as one of her hands slid up through the hair on the back of his head and Han immediately became incredibly frustrated by the fact that they were both currently fully clothed.

It was Leia who moved first to remedy that situation, moving her hands to the collar of his jacket and harshly pulling it down his arms. He shook the garment free without breaking the kiss.

She moved next to the buttons of his shirt, trying her best to work the fasteners quickly but finding it difficult. In his frustration, Han quickly sat back and pulled the shirt off over his head, tossing it aside and smiling down as Leia admired his well-muscled chest.

Han leaned down on his elbows and slid his hands underneath Leia's back, quickly finding the zipper of her dress and sliding it down. "You know how much I love seeing you in this outfit, but it can't even compare to seeing you _without _it."

"I did tell you it was going to be worth the wait."

He slid the straps away from her arms and then pulled the dress down and away from her body, pressing his lips against her as he worked it off. Not having been able to wear a bra with the dress left her breasts exposed immediately, a fact that Han took advantage of as he circled his tongue around her hardened nipple, causing her to shiver.

She never, ever got tired of his touch, his caresses, the way he made her feel. She sometimes had to pinch herself to make sure it wasn't just a dream that she got to spend the rest of her life sharing a bed with this man. She gasped as she felt his mouth between her legs, pressing against the lacy fabric of her panties, suddenly wishing that she had foregone that undergarment as well. But Han made short work of them, taking the waistband in both hands and sliding them under her hips, down her legs and onto the floor.

Watching Han undress her had always been a secret pleasure of hers and never failed to make her smile. Every time it was as though he was unwrapping some special gift and he couldn't wait to see what was under the wrapping paper, even if he already knew every centim of her body by heart. He kicked his boots off quickly, as though only just then noticing that he still had them on. Then he crawled back over her, kissing her lips, her neck, anywhere he could reach. Every nerve ending in her body tingled as his warm hands caressed her skin, one of them slipping down between her legs and setting her afire.

He moved his lips down her body slowly, pausing to run his tongue around her navel and then moving lower before she found herself gasping his name. Every move he made brought her higher and higher. When he stopped for a moment to look at her to gauge her reaction she recovered just enough to speak. "You know, I'll never get pregnant that way," she said as she eyed the pants that were still covering his lower half.

He gave her his best lop-sided grin. "I know how it works, sweetheart."

She slid her foot down between his legs and felt his growing need. "I know you know how it works. Although if anyone could manage to get a woman pregnant without even taking his pants off, I'm sure it'd be you. But _I'd _prefer it if you took them off."

"I like it much better when you take them off for me," he replied, grinning at her.

She didn't need much convincing and sat up quickly, reaching down to release his belt buckle, undoing the fastener and then achingly slowly lowering the zipper while her eyes never left his. She slipped her hand down beneath his briefs, smiling when she saw his eyes shut instinctively and heard him let out a low moan. After a few moments, she finally pushed his pants down off his hips and then brought her hands back up to tug at the waistline of his briefs, finally leaving him as naked as she before she lay back down against the bed.

As he moved to hover over her once again and she saw the adoring look on his face, she was briefly reminded of what they'd been trying for these past few weeks and she wondered if any child had ever been conceived by two people who loved each other so deeply. It hardly seemed possible.

She smiled and curled her leg up around his waist, urging his body closer as his lips met hers. It wasn't until he pulled away from her kiss that he looked deep in to her eyes and slowly pushed into her. It was a sensation that never failed to cause her to gasp, the feel of becoming one with her husband; the most intimate act possible that she would never share with anyone else.

She felt his lips move down to take her earlobe into his mouth, feeling his breathy whisper against her ear, "I love you."

She didn't need him to say it to know that it was true. He was in the middle of loving her with every part of his body, every fiber of his being, and he was trying to become the father of her children. Yet still, every time he said the words, her heart felt a little fuller and she smiled.

She turned her own head, now pressed against his cheek, so that she could mimic his movements and whispered into his ear before running her tongue along it, "I love you so much, Han."

"Oh, Leia," Han replied, lost in ecstasy as he slowly rocked his hips against her.

He kissed his way back up from her ear, across her cheeks and made it to her lips for one more passionate kiss before he finally pushed himself up on his arms to look down at her. She reached up and brushed a hand along his cheek, then wiped the mussed hair from his forehead, only to have it stubbornly fall back near his beautiful eyes.

There were nights when they made love that they were far more vocal, offering words of encouragement and exclamations of pleasure. But tonight wasn't one of those nights. Tonight the actions spoke for themselves with only increasingly rapid breathing and the occasional sigh or moan escaping their lips.

She relished nights like this, when they both acted as though they had all the time in the universe and only each other to share it with. And she was continually amazed at the way he could make her feel, but somehow knew that he felt the same. They moved slowly for what felt like an eternity, hands roaming each other's bodies and tender kisses being exchanged.

As the tempo increased she found her body beginning to crave release and she saw the intense look of concentration on Han's face as he pulled his head away from her, letting her know that he was getting close as well, his hips moving faster and more pleasurably against her. She clutched at his arms as she felt the warmth building inside of her, starting from where she and Han were united and radiating outwards to her extremities as every muscle in her body clenched, her body arching toward his.

When reaching that point on other occasions she'd often call out his name, but this time all she uttered was a wordless gasp at the overwhelming sensations of complete release and she felt Han tense and shudder above her simultaneously, looking deep into her eyes before burying his face in her shoulder as she ran her fingers through his now-sweaty hair.

Han exhaled a few sharp breaths against her neck and she felt his muscles finally relax before he lowered himself down to her side and lay down beside her, an arm wrapped around her upper body tightly, a leg draped over hers and his mouth and nose trailing against the side of her neck.

"I love you," he said in a low, quiet voice.

She turned her head to look into his eyes, nearly unable to speak while seeing the way he was looking at her. "I love you."

He smiled against her neck and shut his eyes. At that moment, feeling entirely fulfilled and feeling the warmth and love radiating from her husband's body, she felt completely content. Relaxing in his embrace, she reveled in the fact that they had just made love in the truest sense of the expression, and she thought for a moment that there was a possibility that they had just taken the first step in starting their family.

She felt Han's breathing deepen as the warm air escaped against her neck and she rubbed his back soothingly as she drifted toward sleep. She felt a warmth originating right around her navel but had no chance to contemplate it before slumber overtook her.


	3. Chapter 3

After a few, wonderful days without leaving home, Han and Leia had fallen back into their normal routines. Work had taken over their days while evenings and days off were spent together or with friends. On one particular morning, several weeks after the party, Leia had awakened to her alarm and rolled over only to find her stomach feeling queasy. And, in spite of the fact that she knew she had gotten enough sleep, she still felt unreasonably tired.

"It can't possibly be time to get up already," she said.

"'Fraid so, sweetheart," Han said groggily from beside her. "But if you decide to call in sick I promise not to tell anyone you're lying."

"Thanks. I know I can always count on you for back-up, but I think I'll go in today. I'm going to take a shower. You getting up anytime soon?"

She rose up out of the bed and Han simply grabbed her pillow, snuggled into the bed and shut his eyes again. "No, thanks. I think _I'll_ call in sick today."

"Oh, good. If you're staying here then the kitchen could really use a good scrubbing," she teased.

Han opened an eye to look up at her. "Nah, maybe I'll go to work."

"That's what I thought," she said before disappearing into the 'fresher.

While her day had progressed as normal, she couldn't help but feel that something was… different. Her attention was continually drawn to her stomach; sometimes queasy and other times another feeling she couldn't quite place. She couldn't help but wonder if this was finally what she and Han had been trying for all these months. Curiosity getting the better of her, she decided to go and visit the doctor, just to make sure.

She'd thought about calling Han, but she didn't want to get him excited only to be let down if it turned out to be a false alarm. Also, if this was, in fact, what they were hoping for, she selfishly wanted to be the one who got to tell him the news. Han had not held back his enthusiasm at the thought of having children with her, and she had found herself often picturing what he'd be like as a father. The image never failed to make her smile.

Seated on the examining table, her hands were clasped tightly and her feet were dangling and kicking involuntarily while she waited not-so-patiently for the doctor to return with the test results.

The woman smiled at her and Leia could hardly believe her ears. Pregnant. Not that this wasn't exactly what they had been trying for these past few months, but thinking about getting pregnant and finally receiving the confirmation that she actually _was _were two entirely different things. She didn't think that anything could've prepared her for the knowledge that in about nine months she was going to be a mother. And Han was going to be a father.

A warm tingle started in her spine and spread throughout her entire body and she couldn't help the smile that crossed her lips. She was elated and nervous and overwhelmed all at once and practically raced out of the doctor's office. On her way home she continually fought the urge to call Han and tell him the news before she even got there, reminding herself that a large part of what she was looking forward to was seeing the look on his face when he heard.

A mother. She hadn't really believed she was up to that sort of task. For some reason leading a band of Rebels against the Empire seemed simpler to her. She never thought it was something she'd want, but sometime after falling in love with Han and suddenly hoping for a much brighter future, actually having a family of her own started to seem like a pretty good idea. And there certainly wasn't anyone in the Universe she'd rather start one with.

* * *

"Han, I have to tell you something."

He had been lying on the couch in their living room, half asleep while watching a smashball game. It was his favorite way to unwind after work if Leia wasn't home yet. Through half-opened eyes, he glanced up at her standing behind him. For a brief moment, he was worried about what she might have to say, for normally she wouldn't preface a statement with much of anything, she'd just go ahead and tell him.

But when he saw the look on her face and the faintest hint of a smile he could tell she was trying to conceal, he got the sense that whatever she had to say wasn't necessarily going to be bad news. He swung his legs down off the couch and held his arm up to her. "Sure, sweetheart, sit down." She plopped down next to him and placed her hands on his knees. "What is it? Nothing's wrong, I hope."

She shook her head and smiled. "No, no. Nothing's wrong at all. In fact, everything is perfect."

"Okay, so what do you have to tell me?"

She reached up and placed a hand against his cheek and smiled at him. "Han, we're going to have a baby."

It took him a moment for her words to sink in. Although he had never told anyone until he and Leia had discussed it, he had always longed to have a family of his own since it was something he'd never had. Not to mention that other than his cousin back on Corellia who he'd rather never be in contact with again, he had no blood relatives that he was aware of. He could hardly contain his excitement at the thought of finally starting something that he had been missing his entire life, having a child that was both his and Leia's.

"Really?" He said, not sure he was ready to believe it and unembarrassed at the tears that started to sting his eyes.

"Yes, Han. You're going to be a father."

He cupped her face gently in his hands and leaned in and kissed her tenderly; inadequate thanks for giving him the greatest gift he could ever receive. He wrapped his arms around her and embraced her tightly, burying his face in her neck. "I love you so much, Leia."

She laughed then. "Does this mean you're happy about the news?"

He laughed back at her, then leaned back so he could kiss her again before placing a hand on her abdomen. "How long have you known? I mean, when did we… uh…"

"I just came straight from the doctor's office. I think it was a few weeks ago, after the big party. I thought I felt a little different afterward, but I had to wait to make sure."

Han remembered that night fondly, when they'd spent much of the celebration dancing and then thoroughly enjoyed themselves back in their bedroom for much of the remainder of the evening. He couldn't think of better circumstances for the conception of their child.

His hand hadn't left her stomach, and he leaned down and gently kissed her through the material of her shirt. When he leaned back again, she wiped the moisture from his eyes with her thumbs.

"Now, Leia, you realize that this means that now you're _really _never going to be able to get rid of me."

She gave him another gorgeous smile. "I wouldn't want it any other way, Han."

He leaned in and kissed her more deeply this time, realizing that somehow over the course of their little conversation he suddenly loved her at least twice as much as before.

Stopping to take a breath, he asked, "So, how do you feel?"

Her arms were still wrapped around his neck as she pulled away from the kiss, slightly out of breath. "Good. _Really _good. Not really all that different yet."

He pressed his forehead against hers and slid a hand up her thigh. "Does that mean you're up for celebrating this properly?"

Smiling back at him, she replied, "I'd love to. You already got me pregnant, what more trouble can we get into by fooling around a little?"

He responded with another impossibly wide grin before he moved to kiss her hungrily, her hands winding up into his hair, one of his hands sliding down her back. He couldn't think of a better way to show Leia how much he appreciated what she was giving him.

* * *

Han had done his best to be a supportive husband and father-to-be while Leia endured her pregnancy. She wasn't a whole lot different in the initial weeks, aside from seeming incredibly tired much of the time and her occasional bouts with nausea. He'd found her asleep on the couch or at her desk far more often than normal, but did his best to ensure that she always awakened in their bed. She had also developed an aversion to certain foods, but unfortunately it never became apparent which foods exactly until the moment they were put in front of her. They had kept a steadily growing list of these offenders and Han made every effort to keep them away from her at all costs.

While Han had missed out on the initial appointment with the doctor to find out about the pregnancy, he had told Leia that he wanted to be included in any subsequent visits, which she happily agreed to.

Han was especially excited about ten weeks into Leia's pregnancy when the Solos headed into the doctor's office where they would be able to get a first look at their child through a scanner. Han had always despised doctor's offices, but he found that for the first time in his life he wasn't walking in with great dread, but with great anticipation at finally getting a glimpse at the tiny being he and Leia had created.

"Good morning," the doctor said as she entered the room. She was a middle-aged woman with short, dark hair and wire-framed glasses. She gave the couple a warm smile that immediately made Han feel at ease. "Well, let's see what we have going on in there, shall we?"

The pair nodded in agreement and Leia lay back against the examining table and lifted her shirt to reveal her only slightly-swollen abdomen while the doctor applied some cool gel to her skin. Han clasped Leia's hand while his thumb absently rubbed against her palm, both of their eyes fixed on the screen next to them where the image would appear.

"Now," the doctor began, "we won't be able to see a whole lot yet as the fetus is only in the very early stages of development. And we won't get be able to tell yet if it is male or female. When the time comes, would the two of you like to know the sex?"

Han and Leia exchanged glances, each waiting for the other to decide first. "What do you think, honey?" Han asked.

Her brown eyes stared into his as she shrugged her shoulders. "I'm not sure. I hadn't really thought much about it yet."

"Well, we don't have to decide right now."

"No, I suppose we don't." She turned to the doctor. "I guess we'll let you know when the time comes, doctor."

"Very well," the woman said as he applied the scanner to Leia's stomach. Han saw her shiver and he ran his other hand up and down her arm.

A fuzzy image appeared on the screen, and Han quickly became aware that he had no idea what he was looking at. One thing he could discern without needing an explanation, was the faint thudding sound coming at a rapid tempo. "Is that?"

The doctor looked up and smiled. "It is. That's your baby's heartbeat."

Han let out a breath and smiled, squeezing Leia's hand and feeling her squeeze back, her eyes still fixed on the screen.

The doctor's face suddenly looked concerned. "Hmmm… that's something," she said far too casually.

"What?" Han said. "What's something?"

"Just a second," she said, moving the scanner a bit more and staring more intently at the screen where Han still saw nothing but some fuzzy white blotches.

As fast as Han could hear his baby's heart beating, his own heart suddenly felt like it was thundering twice as hard in his chest. He cast Leia a worried glance and she returned it to him, unsure of what 'something' could possibly be.

The doctor turned to the couple and pulled the scanner away from Leia's stomach. "Well, I have some more news for you two," she said.

Han realized he'd been squeezing Leia's hand far too hard and eased his grip a bit. He'd have been more nervous if the doctor looked like whatever she had to say was bad.

"I do believe you're having twins."

"What?" Han and Leia said simultaneously and in complete disbelief.

"I can see the distinct outline of two of them in there, and I am getting two heartbeats. Congratulations."

Han was speechless. He gasped out a couple of breaths and looked down at his wife who appeared similarly shocked.

"I'll give you two a moment," the doctor said with a knowing smile before leaving the room.

"Han?" Leia asked, obviously also suffering from a similar inability to form complete sentences.

He looked down at her and responded disbelievingly. "Twins?"

She nodded. "That's what she said."

"That means two babies at once, right?"

"Last time I checked, yes."

"You really think we can handle two of 'em?"

"Han, I was never one hundred percent sure we could handle even one, but I think we might be able to figure it out."

"You sure about that?"

She reached up and clasped his hand within both of hers. "Han, with all of the things we've been through together, what makes you think we won't be able to handle this?"

Han smiled down at her. "I guess so. They're only babies, right? And they won't even have blasters. I think we can take 'em."

"Yeah, well someday they might have lightsabers."

Han's face fell as he considered how difficult it might be to raise Force-sensitive children, while Leia just grinned at him.

But the smile disappeared from her face and she brought a hand up to cover her eyes. "Oh, gods," she said.

Han suddenly got very, very nervous. "What is it? What's wrong?"

Without looking at him, she shook her head. "Han, how can I possibly fit _two _in there?" She asked, indicating her mid section. "I'm so small!"

He tried and failed to hide his laughter. "Aw, sweetheart, I'm sure you're not the smallest woman who's ever had twins. You'll manage."

"That's easy for you to say," she replied, finally looking up at him. "I'm going to be _huge."_

He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it, then leaned down to whisper in her ear. "And I'll love every extra bit of you," punctuating his statement when he kissed her neck.

Now it was her turn to laugh, bringing a hand up to rest against his cheek as he pulled away to look at her. "You better mean that."

"Of course I do. Have I ever let you down?"

She grinned and shook her head. "Never." She kissed him then, and Han had to lean back once he remembered that they were still in the doctor's office.

"Want to get out of here? I think we've got a few people to tell some good news."

"You think they'll still offer to babysit?" Leia asked.

"I'm sure we can work something out."


	4. Chapter 4

**_A/N: A warm and fuzzy chapter before things go haywire. Happy Valentine's Day!_**

**_

* * *

_**The news spread fast that there would be two new Solos joining the family. Once the initial shock of the news had worn off, Han and Leia were no less than thrilled that they were getting two for one. Luke was immensely happy to learn that they'd soon have two new members of the family, and Chewie rarely missed an opportunity to tell Han that he had no idea what he was getting into. Han was well aware of that fact, and he knew that his and Leia's lives were about to change drastically, but it was a sacrifice he was ready, willing and eager to make.

One of the downsides to that first stage of pregnancy was that Leia was so tired most of the time that she was rarely up for some more intimate moments with Han. This was especially difficult because the Solos typically enjoyed a very active sex life, even more so recently once they had decided to try and start a family. Under other circumstances he might have given her a hard time about it, but he had decided that now was not the time to bring up any of his own grievances since she would be carrying their children for nine months. She was the one who was sacrificing her own body, and he'd just have to forget about his own physical needs for a while. Leia had sensed his frustration on occasion in spite of his best efforts to hide it, and she made sure to mention how much she appreciated his patience.

Fortunately, the gods make up for things in strange ways, and once the initial months were gone it was like a switch was thrown and his exhausted, never-in-the-mood pregnant wife had suddenly turned into his insatiable, wants-sex-all-the-time wife.

Leia had surprised Han with initiating things after many weeks of her mostly being asleep whenever they might have had the opportunity. Han, of course, was more than willing to oblige her. She responded with equal fervor and quickly made him wonder how he had survived recent weeks without making love to his wife.

Leia clung to him as though he was her first lungful of oxygen after nearly suffocating, and he was glad to see that he was not the only one who had missed this. The encounter was passionate and frantic at times and slow and tender at others, and Leia shouted Han's name and held him tightly once she was brought to the height of ecstasy, bringing him along with her.

As they lay next to each other on their bed, once their breathing had returned to normal Han finally turned to ask Leia jokingly if it was good for her. She started laughing hysterically, like she had just discovered some big secret. He hadn't done anything to her that he hadn't done before, but she seemed to be enjoying it on a whole other level.

Once she finished laughing she looked at him. "I read that this might happen but I didn't think it could possibly be true," she said.

"Didn't think what could be true?"

She laughed again and for a moment seemed a little reluctant to share, but eventually responded. "Well, that when you have sex when you're pregnant, things are a little more… intense."

Han's eyebrows arched. "A little more intense, huh?"

She turned and looked at him with a mischievous sort of glint in her brown eyes. "Maybe a lot more intense."

He could feel the grin on his face growing wider. "That good, huh?"

"Oh, yeah," she replied.

"How do you know it's not just because I did such a great job?"

Her hand was rubbing against his chest warmly, and looking at the thin sheen of sweat glistening on her naked body he almost couldn't wait to get things started again. "Because Han, darling, you _always_ do a great job. It's always fantastic. But this was… otherworldly."

The sight of his thoroughly satisfied wife declaring that he had been otherworldly made him ready to go again. He brought his hand up to cup her engorged breast and kneaded the soft flesh as gently as he could manage. "Wanna see if it's just as good the next time?"

Instead of a verbal answer she merely leaned in and kissed him hard, rolling her body on top of his.

Han vastly preferred this next phase in the pregnancy, and if Leia's reaction was anything to go by, so did she. And if this was what it was going to be like every time, he was considering getting her pregnant maybe five or six more times if she'd let him; at least maybe if they could guarantee that from now on the babies only came one at a time. He could barely get in the door some nights when he'd come home and she'd have her hands all over him, giving him quite a welcome. It had gotten to the point where just approaching his front door and knowing Leia was on the other side would arouse him. Though he noted that particular response wasn't that far off from the norm.

While the frequency of these encounters would be enough for anyone, Han found that he thoroughly enjoyed making love to his pregnant wife. First, there was the knowledge that in a few months they were going to lose the freedom of doing whatever they wanted anytime and anyplace that the mood struck. It was something they were willing to deal with when the time came, but they had also decided that they might as well take advantage of things while they could. He also found her incredibly sexy just knowing that she was carrying his children, her belly slowly expanding to accommodate them, and he didn't know a better way to show her how much he loved her and appreciated that.

Sometimes they didn't even make it to the bed. One particular evening Han had only been home for about two minutes when he found himself on his back in the middle of the living room, his pants to his knees and his wife straddling his waist. "It's a good thing I married a man who has such… stamina," she said as she moved pleasurably and caused her husband to gasp and instinctively arch his hips towards her.

Han surely appreciated any references to his virility. He knew it was almost silly to even think about it, but he took great pride in being able to pleasure his wife to such levels. Bringing his hands up to rest on her hips, he said, "Sweetheart, I think just about any other man would've been too worn out by now. But that's what you've got me for."

"Mmmm…" she said as she closed her eyes and intensified her movements. "Better not tell anyone that I only married you for the sex."

"Not the only reason, sweetheart, but I bet it's one of the top ten."

"Top three," she corrected before moaning loudly and smiling at him.

Sometime later, after finally making it to bed, they were lying peacefully in each other's arms when Leia spoke. "Han, what did you look like when you were a kid?"

His fingers trailed lightly against her arm draped across his chest. "I guess I don't really remember that well. I don't even think I've ever seen a picture of myself when I was younger."

"You don't remember _anything_?" She turned to rest her chin on his chest and look up at him.

"Well, I was shorter," he smiled, but she gave him a look that suggested she wasn't going to accept that as an adequate answer. "Ok, well, I was pretty scrawny, as you can imagine. And I remember that my arms and legs were real long, like I couldn't keep 'em under control, which made me a little clumsy."

She laughed. She knew the hardships he'd endured as a child, but it was nice to see he could laugh at himself. "I bet you were cute," she said.

"Was there ever any doubt?" He said as he hugged her closer. "I _know _you were cute, princess. I hope the kids we have look just like you. And I especially want 'em to have your nose and not mine."

He pressed his lips against her forehead and she leaned up and kissed his nose. "Well, I'd like it if they looked at least a little bit like you. Especially your adorable smile. Either way, I think we're just about guaranteed to have the cutest kids in the galaxy."

"Can't argue with that, sweetheart. They're gonna be pretty damn stubborn, too, though."

She smiled. "That's your fault."

Han feigned innocence. "My fault? No, it's my fault if they're adorably charming, your fault if they're stubborn. You're getting things mixed up."

Clearly more in the mood for teasing than for fighting, Leia rested her head against his chest and said, "Yes, you're probably right that if they're adorably charming it's your fault, but let's face it, if they're stubborn, we're _both _to blame."

"I hope they get your smarts," he said.

"Well, I hope they get your height," she responded.

Han gave her a little squeeze. "I hope that, too."

As had been the case every night, Han found himself unable to keep from running his hands over Leia's swollen abdomen, thinking about their future growing inside of her. Aside from deciding to spend his life with her, he'd never approached anything with such excitement and anticipation, and he suspected that things were only going to get better in a few months when he finally got to see the children they had created.

That was why it was especially irritating that he was asked to go away for a few days on a mission. It wasn't vital by any means, but Han's connections from the old days would prove to be an advantage in the situation, so it was decided that he was the best choice for the job and he had reluctantly agreed after discussing it with his wife.

Once they had established a real, permanent home, the last thing either one of them wanted was to be sent off on a mission somewhere, no matter how long, even if it didn't happen frequently. Normally he'd be fine with leaving for a few days in spite of the fact that he'd miss Leia, but now that she was pregnant, he hated the idea of leaving her alone.

Some of it was just the little things, like satisfying her need for a sandwich in the middle of the night, or making a run to the store to pick up more food, maybe rubbing her tired little feet that weren't used to supporting the extra weight. He was sure she could handle all of those things for a few days without him.

But he also still felt an instinctive need to be around to protect her. He knew it was a silly notion. He knew that Leia was perfectly capable of taking care of herself and had probably saved his life more times than he'd saved hers. But that didn't make the thought of leaving her any easier. And in spite of Leia's assurances otherwise, he couldn't escape feeling guilty, as though he was abandoning her.

"Han, don't worry about me. I'll be fine. It's only for a few days," she said while curled up next to him in their bed, her warm body pressed into his.

He was due to leave in the morning, still trying to make her give him a reason to call it off. "I know, sweetheart. I just don't want you to think I'm walking out on you while you need me the most," he lied.

"Han, is that really the only reason?"

He decided to try a different tactic; one that she'd probably find more convincing. "Well, maybe the sex is really great, too. You gotta admit it's gonna be hard to go without for a few days."

She smiled at him but eyed him skeptically. "As much as I believe that is a very valid reason for you to stay, I don't think that's the reason."

"Ok, fine, maybe I just want to make sure you're safe."

"That's sweet, Han, but you know I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

"Do you know that for sure, Leia? It's not like you've been pregnant before. Maybe it won't be so easy."

"Han, I'm a little over four months along. It's not like I can barely move."

"Honey, I just don't like the idea of leaving you alone."

"Well, I won't be completely alone. Luke and Chewie will be nearby. And you know I can handle myself."

Han heaved a sigh, knowing that she was right. He hated to have to admit that she didn't really need him. "All right, fine."

"Good. Now, since you're leaving tomorrow, we'd better make the most of tonight…"

Han couldn't have agreed more as Leia wrapped her arms around him and kissed him.

* * *

Leia had slept quite soundly in her husband's arms after another exhilarating evening. While she was somewhat looking forward to getting her body back and not being pregnant anymore, she did enjoy the way that Han seemed to love her pregnant body, even if her stomach hadn't yet expanded that much. And they had certainly made the most of what time they had left with no children around to interrupt them.

She didn't want him to leave, either, but she recognized that it was selfish to want him to remain by her side at all times. She had always been an independent woman who didn't need anyone's protection, and this shouldn't be any different.

She nuzzled up close against his chest and savored the final moments before his alarm went off. She loved watching him sleep, especially knowing that as long as he slept he wouldn't be taken away from her. Inevitably, the alarm sounded and she felt him stir beneath her, reach to turn the sound off and give her a good morning kiss.

After disappearing in the 'fresher for several minutes, he returned to dress and then sat back down on the bed next to his wife, taking one of her hands in his and rubbing his other soothingly over her stomach.

"You can still change your mind," he said groggily. "I'll stay if you want me to."

Leia heaved a sigh and came very close to relenting and asking him to remain. "I'd love for you to stay, Han. You know that. But really, you should go. I'll be fine."

He leaned over and kissed her. "All right. But if by the time I come back you've crossed that line from sex-crazed Leia to too-tired-to-do-anything Leia you're gonna owe me."

She laughed, always appreciating his sense of humor. "Don't worry. I'll put to good use all of the pent up energy you'll have saved from a few nights away from me."

"I'll be looking forward to it. I'll see you in a few days."

She placed her hand against the back of his neck and leaned in closer. "I'll miss you," she said before pulling him into a long, slow kiss.

Once she released him, he leaned his head down and placed several, tiny kisses against her belly, his warm lips on cool flesh giving her goose bumps. "Bye-bye, babies. Daddy will be back, soon, so don't give your mommy any trouble." He grinned at his own remark and then looked at her. "I've always wanted to say that."

She smiled back and reached up and placed a hand against his freshly-shaven cheek before saying more seriously, "Be safe."

"You, too."

"Hey, you're the one who's always getting into trouble," she said.

"Just promise me you'll be careful."

"I promise, Han. Please, stop worrying so much and get out of here. I love you."

"I love you." He leaned down and kissed her one more time before turning to leave and Leia settled into their bed to get a little more sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

Han's mission had gone as scheduled, and after only a few days he was on his way home again to see Leia. She had just finished talking to him for probably the last time before he came back, hearing that his trip had been uneventful and once again listening to how annoyed he was that he had to fly a New Republic shuttle instead of the _Falcon _since Chewie had taken it to get some new engine parts. Leia assured him that Chewie would have his ship back in good order and she teased him about which one of them he'd missed more. He had nearly driven her insane with the frequency of his calls to check on her while he was gone, but she had to remind herself that it was far better than having a husband who wouldn't call at all. Not that she had any idea what that would be like.

While she hadn't felt unsafe in Han's absence, she had still missed him and was thoroughly looking forward to his return. She had always known she was capable of handling herself on her own, but over the years she'd known him she'd come to the conclusion that she and Han were best when they were together.

That was why that evening, when Han was three hours overdue, she had immediately begun to worry. Considering their unfortunate tendency to get themselves into trouble, neither one of them made a habit of being late without warning.

She decided to try and comm Luke to see if he knew anything. She wouldn't have put it past them to try and pull something on her, but she was beyond the point where she was willing to be patient anymore.

Her brother answered immediately. "Have you heard anything from Han, Luke?"

"No, sorry. Is everything all right?" He asked.

"He makes such a big deal about leaving me for five days and then he's late coming home."

"That's not so unusual."

"Well, maybe not. But usually he'd at least tell me he's running late. This is probably the longest we've gone without speaking since he left."

"Maybe he wants to surprise you."

"Maybe, I suppose."

"How are you feeling otherwise?"

"Okay, I guess. A little tired, and usually hungry, but I'm told that's to be expected."

"You need anything?"

"No, don't worry about it. You're right, I'm sure Han will be home soon."

"All right, Leia. Let me know if you hear anything. I'll talk to you soon."

"Thanks, Luke. Bye."

Leia ended the transmission and sat down on the couch. She had fared decently since Han had been gone, but she had had enough alone time. She was tired of sleeping alone. She was tired of waking up alone. Luke had at least accompanied her for dinner a few nights, but she missed her husband. And she had certainly missed all of those other, more intimate moments they'd shared.

She sighed and leaned back on into the cushions, placing a hand over her ever-growing stomach. She could feel the life force of her unborn children emanating inside her. "Shhh…" she soothed. "Relax, my darlings. Everything will be all right. Daddy will be home soon." She wasn't sure if she was trying to convince the twins or herself.

* * *

Han was seething. And the worst part was that there was nothing he could do about it. He'd been only hours from home. He didn't need this. He'd been sitting back while his temporary ship moved smoothly through hyperspace, vividly and fondly imagining the things he was planning on doing with Leia when he was with her again.

Now, his biggest problem was not that he'd been forced to fly an unfamiliar ship, but rather that he had run into an interdictor field that had pulled him out of hyperspace and landed him in the hands of gods-knew-who. They'd roughly taken him aboard and told him that he'd better say goodbye to his ship. It was the first time on this trip he'd been glad that he wasn't flying the _Falcon._

There wasn't much rhyme or reason to their operation. From what Han gathered from bits and pieces of conversations he'd heard, these guys were slavers. They'd set up interdictor fields to capture relatively small ships in deep space, pull them aboard, either sell their ships or use them for scraps and then sell the inhabitants to the highest bidder.

Han hated slavers with a passion. But so far his anger had only gotten him a few punches to the gut and a split lip at his attempts to vent his frustrations.

To make matters even worse, it didn't take too long for his captors to figure out who he was. While a strong man in his thirties would garner a lot from a slave trader, General Han Solo of the New Republic was likely to be worth quite a bit more in ransom.

* * *

Every muscle in Leia's body felt tense. While she had held different scenarios in the back of her head for fear of her husband's safety, she had never really expected to receive a message as she had just seen.

She had fallen asleep on the couch, still waiting for Han to come home. Practically jumping when she heard the comm signal telling her that she had an incoming message, assuming it would be Han, telling her that he was sorry he was running late and would be back very soon.

But that was not the message she received. The image was that of her husband, only he wasn't the one doing the talking. He couldn't, for his mouth was gagged. He was sitting in a chair with his arms and legs bound and some sort of metal collar around his neck.

While she knew that the message had been recorded earlier, she felt as though she was looking into his eyes right then, trying to tell him that whatever had happened, she would fix it.

The message had been simple enough. If Han's captors were given a very large amount of credits, Han would be returned unharmed. And just to reiterate the urgency of their request, they turned up the voltage on what was apparently an energy collar around his neck, designed to deliver a shock to its wearer whenever desired.

Her heart wrenched when she saw him convulsing in pain, his face twisted as the veins in his forehead bulged and she could hear him screaming through his covered mouth. It was as though she could feel his pain radiating through her own body, and she felt her unborn children stirring uncomfortably within her womb. She had only just started to feel these barely perceptible movements and had been excited for Han to return so that he could feel them as well.

But it seemed as though that wouldn't be anytime soon. The shocking mercifully came to an end and Han's head slumped forward, his breathing ragged as his screaming stopped. The pain in his watering eyes was enough to clench her heart inside of her chest.

That was as much as Leia needed to see. She had forwarded a response along and told the captors that she would meet them wherever they chose, but she would not give them a single credit until she knew that Han was safe. After that, she would do what she could to prevent them from doing something similar to anyone else, but at the moment, getting Han back was her only concern.

Once she responded to the threat, she contacted Luke immediately. His response was quick and by the time they finished speaking they had formulated a course of action that gave her some measure of relief, however small. Her brother was the only one she could depend on as completely as her husband, and she often thought about how lucky she was to have two men in her life who would drop everything in a moment's notice to help her with anything she needed. Well, two men and a Wookiee. Chewie was on his way back with the _Falcon, _and his worry upon hearing about Han mirrored her own.

Luke's concern was evident, but so was his determination. He picked her up and brought her to the hangar where they would take off, not saying much and not having to. Leia was grateful just to have him there. Luke had always been a valuable source of support for Leia and his strength and maturity often made her forget that they were the same age. While people often saw the same traits in her, she still felt moments of vulnerability that she never sensed from her twin. Han was her rock, but Luke would also always be there for her on the rare occasions her husband couldn't. And she silently thanked the gods for his presence now.

Chewie had only just arrived and wrapped Leia in a warm, welcoming hug and assured her that everything would be fine soon. She hadn't doubted that, but it was always comforting to have the Wookiee on her side. His strength, along with her brother's, bolstered her resolve and eased some of the anxiousness she had been feeling.

Leia remained quiet as they boarded and headed off into hyperspace. Shutting her eyes she listened to the familiar hum of the engines and thought about how happy Han would be to see his ship, but mostly how happy he would be to see her.

She reached down and placed her hands against her stomach, wanting nothing more than to have her whole family together again.

_Hang on, Han. We're coming._

* * *

Han felt like an idiot. He knew he couldn't really be blamed for getting captured as he had, but that didn't make it any easier to swallow. He was also getting tired of the obnoxious collar he had around his neck, though he was glad that he had only had to endure its capabilities once. Aside from sending the message, he had mostly been left alone in an empty cell to wait impatiently.

He knew that the message they'd recorded would be sent to Leia, and he didn't want her to be forced to see him like that and to pay his ransom. He hoped that somewhere down the line he'd be able to make these bastards pay not only for what they'd done to him, but for what they'd done to countless slaves they'd captured. Han learned quickly that he was far from the only one on this ship that they had intended to sell; he was just the only one they decided would be worth more in ransom than as a slave.

He wasn't sure how much time had passed. It was always difficult to tell when you were floating through space without the change from day to night. But after what he had deemed to be far too long cooped up he was finally brought out of his cell and told that if he was good, maybe he'd be able to go home.

For once, Han wasn't in the mood to fight. He walked forward when requested, out to the bridge of the ship. Once he arrived, he was greeted by the one who seemed to be the leader of the captors; a dirty-looking middle-aged man with a slightly rounded belly that only seemed to exacerbate his shortness.

If Han's hands weren't currently bound behind his back, he was sure that he would have enjoyed pounding the sithspit out of him.

His anger dissipated though when he heard what the man had to say. "Well, General, it seems that it won't be long before we both have what we want. Your wife is here."

Han's eyes widened and he tried to hide his excitement. "She's here? Let me see her."

"Calm yourself. Before we release you we need to get our credits, and before they give us the credits, they have requested proof that you are still alive. So we have set up a short-range transmission so that you can converse with one another. Now, just behave yourself and this will all be over very soon."

Han felt his pulse quicken just at the thought of talking to Leia through a holocall. He hoped he hadn't caused her too much worry. She didn't need stress in her condition.

The image came up on the wall, and there, looking back at him, was Leia. He let out a breath and smiled at her, not failing to notice that she hadn't smiled back. Her cool, calm façade was enough to fool almost anyone, but underneath it all he could see that she was exhausted and worried, and he hated that he had made her feel that way.

"There he is, Princess," his captor said. "He has been unharmed since we last spoke."

"Han?" Leia said a little questioningly.

"Hey, sweetheart. See? I'm okay, really. I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be. I'm here with Luke and Chewie. We'll take care of it. We will end this now." Leia's eyes moved from Han to the captor. "All right, we accept your terms. Now, what we will need you to do-"

The transmission was suddenly cut off and Han felt his stomach clenching. This didn't look good.

"What happened?" The short man asked. "Where'd they go?"

The man running the communications console ran his hands over the control panel and then looked up. "The ship they were broadcasting from, it's been destroyed."

Han looked out through the viewport and saw the tiny explosion in the distance and felt his insides turn cold. His legs gave out and he dropped to his knees while all of the air left his lungs in a rush.

She was gone.


	6. Chapter 6

"Luke, we've lost the transmission. What happened? Is Han okay?" Leia tried to keep calm when she saw Han's image disappear, replaced with nothing.

"Leia, someone's taken out our decoy. The transmission is cut off, but I think Han is still okay."

"We have to get back in contact with them, and fast!"

Luke's hands worked the communications console, but he had no luck. "Leia, I think they've jumped to hyperspace. He's gone."

Leia felt her heart leap into her throat. "What do you mean, he's gone? Can't we find out where they went?"

"Leia, you know we can't track them through hyperspace. They must've panicked when shots started being fired. Speaking of which, I don't know who took out the decoy ship, but I think we might want to get out of here before they start taking shots at us."

Leia's fingers were digging into the arms of the chair she was sitting in. How could they have come so close to getting him back only to lose him again? Still, winding up dead wasn't going to help matters. "Fine, Luke. Chewie? Let's get out of here. I don't want to go too far, though. We need to find Han as soon as we can."

Once safely cruising through hyperspace, Luke walked up to his sister, sitting and staring off into space, trying vainly to tell Han that they were safe and she'd find him. She felt Luke's hand give hers a gentle squeeze of reassurance. "It'll be all right, Leia," he said.

Leia looked up into her brother's blue eyes, able to tell that he wasn't just saying it to make her feel better, but because he truly believed it. "Thank you, Luke," she replied.

Sitting back, she wondered just where they might be taking her husband. In the entire time she'd known him, even before she was willing to admit it, Han had always been a pillar of strength for her. He maintained an air of cockiness and bravado that made her feel as though the man was invulnerable. Whenever they had faced danger, he always made her know that things would turn out okay. Luck was always on his side and he seemed well aware of that fact. He had a way of telling her that everything would be fine and she'd never doubted him.

He wasn't there to tell her that now. Initially she'd chosen to believe that getting him back was a foregone conclusion. But now he was out of her reach again, and she had no clue as to where he might wind up and knew there was the possibility that anything could happen to him. She didn't think she could bear the thought of losing him, not just for herself now, but for their children. What if he never got to see them? What if their babies never got to meet their father?

She swallowed the lump in her throat and wondered when she had become so pessimistic. Han never would've let her think like that. If he were there, he'd tell her that there was nothing to be worried about and he'd be fine. Now, if only she truly believed that.

* * *

The energy cuffs bound his hands, but he wouldn't have tried to move them anyway. He barely had the energy to hold up his own head. The tears had finally left him, after having cried more than he had ever believed possible, and all that remained was a cold, empty shell.

He wasn't aware of much. After witnessing the explosion he'd been dragged back to his cell where he was left alone for some time, curled up on the floor and grieving for the loss of everything and everyone he lived for. Once they came to get him he overheard something that told him that it had taken them two days to reach their destination. They hadn't bothered to feed him, although he found he didn't care. He didn't care about anything anymore.

He'd watched her ship as it was destroyed. He'd gone and gotten himself captured and she'd come to save him, only to get blown out of the sky. All of the things she'd survived before that, and in the end it was his fault she was gone. Leia, his children he hadn't even gotten to meet, not to mention Luke and Chewie.

There was nothing left for him.

He'd been lifted by his arms and pulled out of his cell without protest, eventually dragged down the boarding ramp while he squinted his puffy eyes in the daylight that accosted him.

He barely listened as he was sold for what sounded like a considerable sum of credits. He'd then been dragged off to what looked to be something of a warehouse, and entered to find a bunch of tables set up with several dozen men, women and children, all looking haggard and worn, eating what appeared to be tasteless rations, some form of pasty grains served in tin bowls.

Slaves. Dozens of slaves in their stun collars, and he was about to join their ranks. Well, not for long. He had no intentions of trying to escape. He realized that he had nothing worthwhile to escape to. With any luck, he'd piss someone off just enough that they would put him out of his misery.

His energy cuffs had been removed from his wrists and he was fitted with a band around his upper arm that they'd told him was attached to a remote and could put him in his place with the touch of a button. Instead of a snide remark asking them to test it and see if it was working, he hadn't even nodded his head.

He was handed a bowl and shoved toward the food line, where he accepted his ladle full of… something, and sat down at the nearest table, shoulders slumped, with no intention of trying to eat. It could've been a kilo nerf steak and he wouldn't have touched it.

"Hey, you new here?"

He heard the voice from across the table and really didn't want to have to look up and make conversation with anyone. But that voice he'd heard had definitely come from a kid, and he found himself lifting his head just enough to look at the face across from him.

The boy looked to be somewhere around twelve years old, with shaggy brown hair and a gaunt, dirty face. Han couldn't help but think of himself at that age, in such a similar situation. It had been a lonely way to grow up, never having much of anyone to talk to. So he spoke for the first time in a few days and found his throat almost too dry to get any words out.

"Yeah, kid. I just got here. How long have you been here?"

The kid's shoulders shrugged, and he greedily slurped at his meal like someone who probably knew it could be a while before he got to eat again. "Coupla months as far as I can tell. I was on vacation with my family, wound up getting taken away. My mom and dad tried to stop them, but they killed them."

As much as his own loss hurt, it didn't make him feel any less sympathy for this poor kid sitting across from him who had just lost his family. All he could think to say was, "I'm sorry to hear that."

"Thanks," the kid nodded sadly before brightening up again. "What about you? Do you have anyone who's going to come after you?"

Han's heart felt like it was being constricted in his chest. A few days ago he could be assured that his loved ones would be at the ready to go to the ends of the galaxy to get him back, just like they had done when he was in carbonite and just as they had done when they'd come to pay his ransom before they'd wound up dead. He had a loving wife and their first children on the way. Now he had nothing. Just like when he was a kid.

"Nah, kid. I don't have anyone, either."

"Sorry to hear that. How long have you been a slave?"

It had been so long since someone had referred to him that way, it caught him off-guard. "I just got captured. But I grew up as a slave, basically. When I was your age."

The kid's eyes widened. "But you got free?" He asked hopefully.

"Yeah, I was free for a long time. Got to live a normal life."

"Were you married? I know that's usually what those rings mean."

Han looked at his hands and realized he'd been subconsciously fiddling with the silver band on his third finger; the ring that represented his eternal bond to Leia. It took him a moment to articulate the words. "She's gone now."

He nearly choked when he spoke. It was the first time he'd had to say it out loud.

"I'm sorry. Did you have any kids?"

If Han hadn't felt so sorry for this boy, he probably would've left the table and not answered. Hoping the tears welling up in his eyes wouldn't spill over, he shook his head and went with the simplest response, "No." _But we were so close…_

The kid obviously was now ready to change the subject. "You should eat. They only feed us once a day around here."

"No thanks, kid. Not hungry."

He shrugged. "Suit yourself, but when you try to go to sleep tonight you're gonna wish you'd had something."

"I doubt that," Han said. He knew his stomach felt empty, but it simply went along with the emptiness that had consumed his entire being.

The kid gobbled up the last of his food and licked the bowl just before Han heard the loud, booming voice over the loudspeaker. "All right, meal time's over, time to get back to work!"

Every being in the room stood up except for Han. He figured if he was enough of a pain in the ass they wouldn't let him last more than a few days, no matter how much they'd paid for him.

"What are you doing?" The kid whispered.

"Forget it, kid. I don't take orders."

"They're gonna hurt you if you don't get up."

"Kid, nobody can hurt me anymore."

The kid went over and grabbed at Han's arm and tugged. "Come on, before-"

"What's going on over here?" A strange voice said from behind Han and the kid dropped Han's arm and backed off with an intense look of fear in his eyes.

"Nothing, sir," the kid said before backing off.

"Nothing, huh? This your friend who won't get up?" The guard took his blaster and nudged at Han's arm. "Hey, new guy, this is how it works: we tell you to get up, and you get up."

Han simply looked the guard in the eye and then let his eyes rest back on the table. The guy looked even younger than Han and seemed to derive some sort of pleasure from bossing people around since he was the only one in the room with a weapon.

"Hard of hearing?" Han felt the butt end of a blaster come in contact with the back of his head. His normal reaction would've been to jump up and fight back, but every ounce of his spirit seemed to have left him and he simply gritted his teeth and waited for the pain to subside.

"Not interested in getting up, huh?" He took a swing at Han with a closed fist, connecting with his cheek and causing some pain that Han did his best to ignore, once again looking up at the guard and back at the table, silently showing him that he still had no intention of following orders.

Then the guard walked towards the kid, and Han found his eyes drawn upward. "How about if I whack your little friend here. Will that make you listen?" He brought back his blaster, ready to strike while the kid braced for impact.

Han found himself shooting up to his feet and holding out his arm. "Stop!"

The guard lowered his weapon and smirked at the Corellian. "You gonna cooperate now?"

Han gave half a nod. "Leave the kid alone."

"That's what I thought." The guard came over and stared into Han's eyes. "Just do your work and nobody has to get hurt, got it?"

Han considered taking a swing, but thought better of it and kept his mouth shut and the man continued, "Good. Now let's go."

The man gave Han a nudge with his blaster and the room full of slaves headed towards the door and it was only then that Han started to realize how weak he was feeling. Maybe he should've considered eating some of that food…

"Thanks for not lettin' 'em hit me," the kid whispered.

"Don't mention it," he whispered back.

"Hey, my name's Trev, what's yours?"

"Han."


	7. Chapter 7

Some indeterminable amount of hours later, Han found himself soaked in sweat and smeared with dirt. The small army of slaves had been paraded off to a large river at the base of a rock canyon. The air was warm, though not hot, and the humidity caused Han's white shirt to cling to his back uncomfortably. The sun was high in the blue sky and if circumstances were different, he might have appreciated the beauty of what he saw there. It could've been any number of planets they were on, but Han didn't really care.

They were each given small, fairly primitive pick axes to chip at the walls of soft stone in search of valuable gems. Whatever planet they were on, there was a lot of money to be made, apparently, and Han recognized the uniquely deep turquoise Goja gems. He'd certainly run into them being smuggled back in the old days, though he had never been involved in them himself. He knew very well that they had been almost exclusively mined with slave labor.

As long as Han was out of sight of any of the guards, he spent most of his time just sitting back, doing his best to shut his mind off from thinking about anything at all. He had no intent on helping these slavers make money.

"You know," Trev said to him as he chipped diligently at the rock wall, "if you don't start working and bring in a minimum amount, they can shock you with that thing on your arm. And if you still won't do it they take turns beating you up."

"I appreciate the concern, kid, but I don't much care about that. I don't have much left to live for."

"Come on, you've got me!"

The kid smiled and said it with such enthusiasm that Han couldn't keep the corner of his mouth from perking up into a grin. It sounded like something Han himself would've said once upon a time. He hadn't been that close to smiling in days.

"Trev, you are somethin' else, kid. How do you keep that kind of attitude when you're stuck here as a slave?"

"Probably because I'm not very smart. But I'd like to think it's because I know I'm gonna get outta here. I'll find a way. And even though they're not around anymore, someday I'm gonna make my parents proud."

Han felt a smile come to his lips again and this time didn't fight as hard to keep it from forming. Standing up, he walked toward Trev and joined him as they both chipped away at the wall, working in comfortable silence.

* * *

Leia was restless. And irate. And worried. And scared out of her mind.

She had returned to Coruscant, much to her chagrin but without any better idea of where to go in search of her husband, and was resting uncomfortably in her apartment, waiting to form their next plan of attack.

By now, with Han's captors assuming that her ship had been destroyed and presumably all occupants as well, he had likely been sold as a slave. Worse than that, she knew that he had witnessed the decoy ship exploding and likely he also believed that she, Luke and Chewie had been killed.

Leia had some idea how she would feel if Han had died. Every muscle in her body tensed just knowing that he was currently living as a slave, but if she lost him forever… just the thought of it was physically painful. She couldn't imagine what he must be feeling right now. And she hoped that he would have the strength to keep going long enough for them to find him.

She brought a hand over her swollen middle and rubbed her hand warmly over the tiny beings nestled inside. "We're going to get your daddy back. I promise."

The sound of the door opening brought her out of her contemplation and she turned to see her brother. "All right, Leia, Chewie and I are just about ready to go."

"Good, when do we leave?"

"We?"

"Yes, we. Don't think for one second that I'm not coming with you."

"Leia, this could be pretty dangerous, and you're-"

"Just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean I can't handle myself. I'm not just going to sit here when Han's life could be on the line."

"I'm just not sure that's such a good idea."

"Frankly, I don't care whether you do or not. I'm coming."

She could tell by Luke's eyes that he wanted to argue, but instead he gave a slow nod.

Leia understood that Luke was concerned for her unborn children. Her concern for them was strong as well, but there was no way she was going to sit back and not do anything. She also knew that they had to work quickly. If Han thought that there was nothing left to come back to even if he did manage to escape, there was no limit to the kinds of risks he was likely to take wherever he was. They had to get to him before he did anything stupid, like get himself killed.

"All right, then," Luke said. "Let's go."

* * *

Night had fallen. After a long day of digging and collecting gems, Han, Trev, and the other slaves had been ushered back to a large warehouse room where they were all scattered throughout and expected to get some sleep. Han had found a spot against the wall, and Trev had made himself at home next to him, leaving a small space in between. While a big part of Han just wanted to be left alone to wallow in peace, he had to admit that the kid was growing on him.

Once the sun had gone down, the warm, humid air was replaced with an unmistakable chill that made Han shiver. He also hadn't failed to notice the unpleasant odor associated with dozens of beings who had spent the day working in the sun and hadn't been afforded the opportunity to bathe. It was a stark contrast to the sweet smell of Leia's skin and hair, the usual aroma that found its way to his nostrils when he was falling asleep.

The kid hadn't bothered him much that evening, and Han lay down against the cold, hard floor. In the few days since he'd lost Leia, he'd lain down and shut his eyes, but sleep had eluded him in spite of the fact that he knew he was exhausted.

He expected more of the same this time, especially given the incredibly uncomfortable sleeping arrangements. His eyes were shut, and he was vaguely aware that it was cold in the room; the sound of various beings breathing in the distance. He felt his breathing slow, hearing his own heart beating rhythmically in his chest. His eyes felt heavy while the rest of him felt cold and empty as he hugged his arms against his chest.

Then, all awareness was gone. Soon after, he began dreaming for the first time since he'd left Leia's arms. It brought him right back to that moment, looking at her next to him in their bed, her face awash in peace and comfort while she slept. He brought his hand up to brush against her cheek, sure that he could actually feel her soft, warm skin beneath his fingers as he trailed his hand down to rest against her belly where their children were growing.

He wanted her to wake up, so he could hear her voice. Tell her how much he loved her. Wrap her in his arms and feel the warmth of her body pressed against his. But she didn't. Instead, he did. His eyes opened and the chill in the air accosted him while his bones ached from sleeping on the floor.

All too soon he was flooded with the awareness of where he was, and how his beautiful Leia, the one who it seemed moments ago was just lying right there next to him, was gone forever. The sudden returning to that reality was like a hard punch to the gut, as though he'd lost her all over again. He realized with a pang that this was the first time he'd awakened to a universe without her.

He fought hard to keep the tears from coming. He thought by now his capacity for feeling anything at all had left him. But the grief consumed him once again and he found himself shaking in silent sobs, aching terribly for the life he'd known before and for the loss of Leia. His wife, his best friend, his every reason for living. And the children he'd never get to see.

There were no other sounds in the room that night beyond the slow, even breathing of the other slaves while Han did his best to choke down his grief, burying his face in his sleeve and allowing the tears to fall freely as his body shook. Without knowing it, Han had quietly cried himself to sleep, only to awaken sometime later to a soft poke on his shoulder.

There was the faint hint of dawn's light, and he looked up to see Trev's blue eyes looking down at him. "You gonna eat this time?"

Han felt a little light-headed as he sat up, rubbing at his eyes that felt puffy from restless sleep and tears. While he didn't have much reason to go on at the moment, the prospect of slowly starving to death did not seem that appealing, either. Trev also seemed to have this misplaced optimism and he couldn't figure out why the kid seemed to like him.

Slowly standing and heading for the mess, he answered, "We'll see."

* * *

Chewie flew the _Falcon_ from the co-pilot seat while Leia sat fidgeting in Han's chair. His scent overpowered her. Well, she wasn't really sure if it was Han that smelled like the _Falcon_, or the _Falcon_ that smelled like Han, but it was all his scent just the same.

Chewbacca sensed her unease and reached a hairy paw over to rest gently on her shoulder.

"I know you wanted to be there to help him, Chewie. You've done so much for him all these years, and you can't be expected to babysit him everywhere he goes."

Chewie woofed his disagreement. And Leia had to let out a half-smirk. "Yes, I know we should all know better by now that if there is trouble to be found, Han is the one who is going to find it. We're going to get him back, Chewie. I know I won't rest until we do."

The momentary silence in the cockpit was broken when a certain Jedi master entered. "Leia, I think I have a lead. There's a family who recently contacted the New Republuc and said that their son was taken away by slavers to the same area where we lost Han. Apparently there's a huge black market on rare gems operating out of there, sustained entirely on slave labor."

"Well then, let's go." _We're getting there, Han. Please hang on for us._

* * *

The day had progressed similarly to the one before. Except this time Han was operating with at least a bit of sustenance in his stomach – if that dry, tasteless ration bar could be considered as such. Trev had told him that day to day, they were usually fed what was most convenient and cheapest. Han had to admit, it did feel a bit better to have something in his stomach, even if he was more than a little surprised that it even stayed down due to the relentless queasiness he'd been feeling for days.

Han and Trev were once again digging at the rock near the riverbed, except Han was moving more than a little bit half-heartedly. As he pounded absently at the rock, images of his dream were still stinging in his mind. He thought about their last night together, the way she would look at him and smile and tell him she loved him. He wanted more than anything to be able to tell her one more time. He wanted to go back and take a different flight path home and avoid that damn interdictor field, or not have gone on the mission in the first place. Anything that might make things different. It just wasn't fair. The pain he felt for Leia's loss started to overwhelm him again and he found himself using his small pick axe to pound furiously against the rock, venting all of his anger and frustration with gritted teeth.

"Hey, relax, there!" He heard Trev's voice and it did nothing to stop him. Only when he pounded his fist against the wall several times and saw the blood seeping out of his knuckles did his outburst finally cease.

He rested his forehead against the wall, his breath coming in sharp gasps as the burst of adrenaline slowly subsided. He felt the tears stinging his eyes again and pressed his eyelids tightly together, willing them to go away. _You can't cry in front of the kid…_

He felt a hand on his back and Trev stepped closer. "It's ok to be sad, you know. At least that's what some people told me when I first came here after my parents died."

Han took a few slow, deep breaths and tried his best to wipe his eyes on his sleeve without letting Trev see. He spoke while his head still rested against his arm. "I'm too old to be sad, kid."

"I don't think there's really such a thing as that. Anybody can be sad."

"Well, not me," Han said, taking one last swipe at his eyes and looking down at the ground. "I don't have to feel anything anymore."

"Do you want to tell me about her? Your wife?"

Han turned and looked at Trev, part of him wanting to tell him every wonderful thing about Leia. But as he opened his mouth to respond, he couldn't get any words out. He swallowed down the lump that rose up in his throat and simply shook his head.

"I understand. It took me a while before I could even think about my family without crying. It gets easier, I promise."

Han doubted that, but he was impressed by the level of maturity for a kid this age.

"You know, my parents were pretty great. I mean, they didn't do anything extraordinary or anything, they just ran this nice little inn and restaurant on Naboo. But they were always so… happy. They always had smiles on their faces, you know? They were married for fifteen years, but I could tell they still loved each other like crazy. You know, like they actually liked spending time together."

Han smiled a little and wondered if there would ever be a time where he could talk about Leia in such a way, able to speak of the happy memories without cursing the universe for taking her away from him. "They sound nice, kid. I'm sorry about what happened to them."

"Thanks," he said, looking down a little sadly.

Looking down at Trev then Han thought about what it would've been like to have a son of his own. They had been so close to having those children to share their lives with, to maybe having them someday telling other people how they could tell how happy their parents were. He hadn't just lost Leia, Luke and Chewie that day, he'd lost his family, his future.

Trev looked back up at him and said, "Well, if you ever want to tell me about her, I'd like to hear it."

Han looked up and nodded. "Thanks, kid."

Trev glanced around nervously to see one of the guards nearby. "We better get back to work, those guys don't like it much when we just sit back and chat."

Han picked up his axe with his bloodied hand and began chipping away at the rock again, all the while wondering how much longer he could put up with this kind of existence.


	8. Chapter 8

"Leia, you need to eat something," she heard Luke's voice from over her shoulder as she sat in Han's pilot's chair, staring off into space. "I know you're probably not in the mood right now, but the babies need-"

"Excuse me, when did Dr. Skywalker arrive?" She replied in annoyance before slowly turning her head to see her brother's disapproving look.

"You can be irritated with me all you want, Leia. But I'm not leaving you alone until you at least get down a couple of ration bars."

Heaving a sigh, Leia reached out and snatched the wrapped nutrients out of Luke's hand. "You know how much I can't stand it when people try and tell me what I should be doing. Sometimes I really dislike having a brother."

"Whatever you say, sis. But sometimes I bet you are more than glad. Like when he gets you to meet people who might be able to help us find Han."

"I hate it when you're right," Leia said before taking a bite of her nutrient bar.

"Well, good thing it doesn't happen very often. Eat quick, we're almost there."

The _Millennium Falcon _docked with a large, New Republic battle cruiser that was orbiting somewhere near where Han had last been seen. Already on board was the couple who apparently had some idea of where these slavers had gone, but no resources in which to get there.

Once Luke, Leia and Chewie arrived, they were ushered off to a small conference room near the bridge where they met a nice looking, middle aged couple with a look of sadness and fear on their faces. The bags under their eyes were clear signs that they had not slept much recently. The man was unshaven and the woman's light brown hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail, both seeming as though they hadn't bothered to care for themselves lately. Leia knew that look well, as she had allowed herself to fall to a similar state ever since she'd first received word of Han's capture.

Luke introduced them. "Leia, Chewie, this is Wynn and Corly Bents." The couple rose, brief handshakes were exchanged, and Luke continued. "They may have an idea where Han might be."

"Please," Leia said. "Sit down."

The five of them all took their seats in the conference room and Wynn kept an arm around his wife's shoulders in comfort before he spoke. "Several months ago, we were on vacation with our son. It was just a camping trip in a pretty secluded spot. In the middle of the night, we heard voices outside of our tents and then heard our son yelling for us."

The couple looked at each other and exchanged sorrowful glances before Wynn continued. "We jumped out to see two men holding him, one on each arm and one with his hand over his mouth. I pulled my blaster like I was going to shoot, except I didn't want to fire when my son could've been hit. One of the guys pulled out some kind of small explosive and tossed it in our direction, and I pulled my wife with me towards our ship, where we dove into a river just before it exploded.

"We swam under water just far enough to avoid the flames, but by the time we came up for air we saw their ship taking off. Ours had been destroyed in the blast, and we were stranded for a few weeks before someone else happened along."

"So, do you know who took him, then?" Leia asked.

"Not exactly, no," Corly said. "But after they flew away and the fire subsided, we went into the rubble and found this."

She held her hand out to Leia and placed in her palm a small, turquoise gem. "You know what that is, don't you?"

Leia nodded. "Goja gems. Very hard to come by."

"Right," Wynn agreed. "And they mine them using slave labor. That's where they've taken our son. And based on where your husband disappeared, I'd guess he's there, too. There's a planet not too far from where we were that we were told to avoid. We're pretty sure that's where they are."

Leia felt a sense of hope welling up inside her, having finally at least received a possible lead to where Han had been taken. After days of sitting idly by, it was a great relief to finally be given a course of action.

At the same time, she held strong doubts as well. Han could've wound up almost anywhere after that hyperspace jump, including nowhere at all. She wondered what she would do if they were able to infiltrate this particular operation only to find that Han wasn't there. She wasn't sure how much longer she could stand worrying and wondering what had happened to him. But for the sake of those in the room, she kept her outward appearance optimistic and said, "Well, then, what are we waiting for?"

* * *

Each of Han's days as a slave seemed exactly like the ones before. He'd become accustomed to the routine of the mass of laborers being awakened at dawn, heading to the mess for their daily 'meal' and then off to the riverside to chip away at the rocks again. It had come to the point where he had no concept of how long he had been there, nor did he care.

The nights were still the worst. Somehow during the day he could manage to shut his brain off, trying as hard as he could not to think about what had happened to bring him here. But every night when he lay down for another restless night of sleep he couldn't help but think of her, and how he should be lying in their bed with his arms wrapped around her, only a few months away from having their children.

He'd always dream of her lying beside him, and sometimes she'd open her big, brown eyes and just smile, giving him that look that had always been just about the only thing he needed. He wasn't sure if he could go on without seeing that face ever again. _ I don't think I can do this without you. _

But each time he'd reach for her, he'd only awaken once again with empty arms and he'd bitterly remember where he was. After fighting off another onslaught of tears, Han sat up and looked around the room at all of the other prisoners, starting to wonder what Leia would do if she were in this situation. She certainly wouldn't have sat back and wallowed in her own grief. Right before he'd met her, the woman had lost just about everyone she'd ever loved and everything she'd ever known in the blink of an eye and she'd turned right around and gone on to help save the galaxy… right after she'd somehow convinced him to willingly dive head first into a garbage chute.

While her absence had left a physical pain deep within his chest that had yet to subside, he started to feel as though succumbing to the pain would dishonor her memory. He could hear her voice in his head, _You can help these people, Han. _It wasn't the sort of nagging that she used to give him about helping the Rebellion back when he'd stubbornly fought to retain his independence, but rather an encouraging reminder that he didn't have to give up.

While Han himself had nothing left to go back to, he looked around the room and saw dozens of mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, sisters and brothers that did have loved ones to go back to and nobody to help them get there. Han had seen more than one slave attempt to run off, only to get about ten meters away before their stun collars were activated, dropping them to the ground in convulsions. And usually, to discourage further attempts, the fugitive would be beaten severely by at least two of the guards to set an example for the rest of them.

It was a scene that reminded Han of his broken childhood. Remembering what he had endured during his formative years left him amazed that he was able to come out of it all alive. And to have become a functional adult was nothing less than astounding.

When he was Trev's age, he would've been seeing the same kind of thing, except it was always other kids taking the beatings, or himself. In this case, most of the time it seemed to be the men who would try to run away. Somehow over the course of his time with Trev he had started to feel protective of the boy, and he didn't like that he or any of the other slaves had to witness and endure that kind of injustice.

His anger had been steadily growing as the days had gone on. He had gradually transformed from the empty man too overcome by grief to function to some semblance of his old self, wanting to make these bastards pay for what they were doing to these people. It seemed like a lifetime ago that he had rescued a particular Wookiee from a similar fate and gained himself a copilot and a new best friend who'd saved his life dozens of times and been largely responsible for every good thing that had occurred in his life. How could he just sit back and let these people live like this just because he was feeling too sorry for himself to do something about it?

After a few hours by the river and seeing yet another prisoner endure the punishment of trying to escape, Han turned to Trev who was working as hard as ever. For some reason, the kid seemed to take pride in his work even though there was no reward in this situation for doing a good job. "Hey, kid, have you ever seen anyone make it out of here?"

Trev stopped what he was doing and looked over to Han, apparently excited to be asked a question. "Someone told me a couple of guys got out once. But the problem is that once you get out, there's nowhere to go. There's no civilization on this planet. They don't even keep the transport shuttles here. The traders drop off new slaves, the cargo ships leave to make deliveries, maybe collect a few of the guards to take on leave, and that's it."

That didn't sound promising. Then again, it also sounded like the crap they told people to make sure that they thought there was no hope even if they did somehow make it past the guards. Han reached up and rubbed his chin, noting that the stubble was considerable since his last shave a couple of weeks ago. "Kid, I'm gonna make sure we figure something out, okay?"

Trev smiled at Han and nodded. "You really think I can get out of here?"

"I'll find a way," Han said.

* * *

Leia was growing increasingly impatient. They had been mounting a search and rescue operation, knowing that there were likely plenty of slaves aside from just Han and the Bents' son who needed to be freed. These slavers tended to get away with what they did because their outposts were far too remote for anyone to bother with a full on assault. Fortunately for Leia, she had some pull as far as rescue missions went.

That wasn't quite all of the reassurance she needed to ease the worry she was feeling. She hadn't slept much, unable to find a comfortable position in her new, oversized body but mostly missing the comforting presence of her husband lying next to her. There was a time when she'd simply assumed that she would always be a restless sleeper. But once she'd started sharing a bed with Han she'd found that sleep came easily when he was with her. He'd put her at ease in a way she'd never before experienced, and that was only one of the many, many reasons she needed him.

After trying and failing to fall asleep once again, she'd wandered out into the main hold to get a drink of water, only the dim lights illuminating the ship. Once seated at the holochess table and sipping from her glass, she sensed her brother entering the room. "Shouldn't you be in bed, young lady?"

Leia looked up and smiled a little, sensing that Luke was only teasing her. "Couldn't sleep," she replied.

Luke walked over and sat down across from her. "My nieces or nephews giving you a hard time?"

Leia reached down and rubbed her belly, noting that every day she felt her babies moving around more and more. She wanted more than anything to have Han there to witness it. She wanted to see the joy and appreciation light up on his face every time he put his warm hands against her abdomen. She wanted him to hold her when she went to bed at night and tell her how much he loved her. But for now, she had none of that. "Something like that. And, hey, maybe it's one of each."

Luke nodded. "Maybe it is. Are you going to find out?"

Leia thought fondly of the man she should be having this sort of conversation with. "We hadn't decided yet. We were going to talk about it after…" she trailed off, thinking of the post-mission reunion they were supposed to share.

Luke reached up and placed his hand reassuringly on her shoulder, almost instantly relieving the tension she hadn't even realized had built up. "You'll get to talk about it with him, Leia. We'll get him back."

Reaching up and squeezing her brother's hand, she turned to him and said, "Thank you, Luke. Thank you for being here when I need you the most."

He smiled at her. "What are big brothers for? Now, why don't you try and get some sleep, huh? You're not going to help him much by being exhausted."

Taking one last sip of her water, she took her brother's extended hand and allowed him to help her to her feet, walking off towards her and Han's cabin. "Goodnight, Leia," Luke said before going back to his own bunk.

"Goodnight, Luke," she replied before entering her room and climbing into the bed that felt far colder than normal. She'd often found now that she was pregnant that she was much warmer than usual, but that had not been the case since Han had been gone.

All of the small ways she missed him continued to add up, although she reminded herself that at least she knew there was hope of getting him back. He, on the other hand, was still suffering over the falsehood of her death. He couldn't know that she was alive. And they couldn't make it known now. She knew that Han never wished he had the Force, but she wished he had it now so that she could send him soothing thoughts, tell him that she was coming for him.

But for the moment, all she could do was wait. And she curled her body around his pillow and endured another restless night of sleep.

* * *

Han was sitting across from Trev for their daily meal. The kid seemed uncharacteristically quiet. Han noted that it was amazing the kind of optimism he exuded for someone in his situation. But this morning he was picking at his food and had only taken a few bites.

"You know, someone once told me that they only feed you around here once a day, so you better get it in while you can."

Trev looked up at him, momentarily taken out of his trance. "Sorry, I guess I was just thinking."

"Yeah? About what?"

His eyes were focused entirely on his spoon as he twisted it in his fingers. "My parents," he said quietly. "I don't know, most of the time I'm fine, but then sometimes…"

Han knew exactly what he was talking about. "It sneaks up on you, doesn't it?"

Trev looked up at Han and nodded. "Yeah."

"I know how it feels, kid."

Trev stared back down at his spoon, and Han found the words coming out of his mouth without having any way to stop them. "Her name was Leia."

Trev looked up, confused. "Huh?"

Taking a deep breath, Han continued. "My wife. Her name was Leia."

Trev smiled. "What was she like?"

There were at least a thousand words to describe her, but he chose to start with, "She was incredible."

"Yeah? What else?"

"She was a princess, you know."

"Are you serious? Are you a prince?"

Han shook his head and let out a little chuckle. "Are you kiddin' me? No way."

"Then how-"

Han put his hand up to stop him from continuing. "Don't even get me started. Besides, that kind of tradition is ancient history. Most princesses can marry whoever they want." _Although I still can't figure out why she actually wanted to marry _me.

"Was she pretty?"

"She was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen," Han said seriously, allowing a lopsided grin to cross his lips as he pictured his wife's gorgeous face. "She was probably even shorter than you are, but she had these beautiful brown eyes and long, brown hair and every time she smiled at me my heart melted."

"Sounds like she was a really great woman."

Han fiddled with the ring on his finger again. "She was amazing." At first, he had found it nice to talk about her and think about her. But suddenly it dawned on him that he was speaking of her in past tense, and it reminded him of the awful truth that he'd never get to see her again, hear her voice, kiss her…

"I wish I could've met her," Trev said.

"I wish that too, kid." _And I wish I could've met our kids._

"Meal time's over!" The voice boomed through the hallway and startled them to their feet in time to head off for another day of mining.


	9. Chapter 9

_**A/N: As a side note, if anyone is interested in reading about the "trials and tribulations" of being a fanfic writer, ShouldIGetOutandPush and I have started a blog, hanleiafanficwriters "dot" blogspot "dot" com (had to spell that, can't link things here) and if nothing else we will at least post Han and Leia pictures for you all to ogle. Check it out if you're interested! But now, a chapter I know a lot of you have been waiting for...**_

* * *

Once back out by the river, Han looked over at Trev. The kid deserved better than this. All of these people deserved better than this. He thought of Leia, and what she would think if she saw him sitting back and doing nothing but waiting for his demise. That's not what she would've wanted for him. What happened when he was free was of no concern to him at the moment, all he knew was that it was time to take action.

"Hey, kid," Han whispered. Trev looked up at him. "You want to get out of here?"

Trev's eyes widened and he moved closer so he could whisper back at Han. "Yeah, but how?"

"I know we don't know each other that well yet, kid. But you should know in advance that planning is not my specialty. I just sort of make it up as I go."

Trev smiled at Han. "So, what do you need me to do?"

* * *

"We're approaching the planet," Luke said, snapping Leia out of the trance she felt she'd been in for days. She had been staring off into space, futilely trying to project soothing thoughts to Han, wishing she had a way to tell him she was coming. Hopefully he would know soon enough. Hopefully he was actually there and unharmed…

"We have to be careful, Luke. We can't just go down there and start blasting. There are innocent lives at stake."

"They know that, Leia. We figure they don't anticipate this kind of army coming down on them, so hopefully they'll surrender before we have to use much force."

"That's what I'm counting on. Luke, do you think he's all right?"

He gave his sister a little smile. "I have a good feeling about this, Leia."

She placed a hand on her stomach. It was a habit she'd gotten into, her unborn children providing some measure of comfort in her husband's absence since she felt as though she could sense a part of him through them.

She felt as though during the entire trip her heart was in her throat. There was no telling what they'd encounter once they arrived. It had been nearly a month since she and Han had last been together. They hadn't been separated for that long since freed him from carbonite. She wasn't sure she could handle it if she had to wait much longer, and she knew how much he wanted to be there for her while she carried their children.

The proximity alarms sounded and Leia tensed.

_Hang on, Han. We're coming for you._

_

* * *

_

Trev sat back, making a show of the fact that he wasn't doing any work. Still stationed near the river, Trev had made himself comfortable on a rock wall right next to the cave where he and Han had been spending the majority of their days. He knew that sooner or later one of the guards would come over and make sure that he got back to mining for them.

"Hey, kid!" One of the guards yelled as he approached. "Not interested in working today?"

"Come on over here and make me," Trev said. The guard obviously did not enjoy that attitude, as he quickly made his way over to the shoulder-high rock wall near the river on which Trev was sitting.

As the guard got closer, Trev disappeared behind the wall and the guard followed closely behind… only to find himself taking a blow to the head from a large rock wielded by Han Solo. The action had taken place out of view of everyone, shielded by the wall. It gave Han enough time to grab the stun collar deactivator, quickly removing it from his arm and tossing it aside, then doing the same for Trev.

Han grabbed him by the shoulders and looked him in the eyes. "This is the hard part, kid. Can you hold your breath for a while?" Trev nodded. "All right, we gotta get into that river and swim down as far as we can get 'til we're outta their line of sight, got it?" Trev nodded again.

Han took the kid's hand and they waded into the water, finding it much colder than he thought it would be. The icy chill got to him, and once submerged, he found his lungs aching for oxygen much sooner than they should've. But he stayed under, swimming down river as far as he could before he inevitably had to come up and gasp for breath.

Upon emerging he looked around to see Trev come up behind him, relieved that he had made it as well. A glance back in the other direction told him they'd managed to get out of sight, just as he'd hoped. Han took Trev by the hand and they waded out of the river, surprised at how the cold had gotten to him. Attempting to run for the first time in weeks, he hadn't realized how weak he'd become in this place.

Shivering and pulling Trev along behind him, he raced off toward where he hoped to find a communications console, back in the hangar where any ships had been docking. With any luck, they might be able to signal for help and get themselves and everyone else set free. The only sound in his ears was the rustling of the earth beneath their feet as they ran as well as their heavy breathing. But then another sound accosted Han's ears: that of a ship. Not just one ship, actually, but several. Abruptly, Han stopped and looked up to see the unmistakable outline of an X-wing, followed by several more as they buzzed the trees low overhead.

X-wings had neither the cargo space nor the passenger capacity to deal with the gems they were mining or the slaves. Han felt a surge of relief as he realized that Trev wasn't going to have to spend the rest of his life as a slave. "Kid, I think we might be getting out of here sooner than I thought."

Han looked down at Trev's face as he looked toward the sky, eyes wide and mouth agape in awe. "Is that…?"

"Rogue Squadron, kid. You can't get much better as far as rescuers are concerned."

Han saw a big smile come across Trev's face, his blue eyes never leaving the sky as several more X-wings flew past. Dropping his hand, Han put an arm around Trev's shoulders. The thought of their imminent freedom was bittersweet. He found himself wondering what exactly he had to look forward to once he got back to his regular life. He also remembered with a pang that Trev didn't have anyone to go back to, either. In spite of it all, the kid looked thrilled at the knowledge that he would soon be free, and Han couldn't help but smile.

"I told ya I wasn't gonna be stuck here forever," Trev said, his eyes still gazing aloft.

Han simply smiled and pulled him a little closer. "I never doubted it, kid."

The ambush was quick. Han and Trev kept a safe distance but walked back over to where they could see what was going on. While the guards had momentarily put up a fight and tried to shock a few of the slaves, they were quickly relieved of their remotes and weapons by several armed New Republic ground troops, and the collars were removed from the slaves one by one. In the distance, Han squinted at the sunlight as he saw the large cruiser making its way down to transport everyone to freedom. Pulling Trev along behind him, he brought him back to where the rest of the people were gathering to be brought back to the shuttle, smiles and hugs being exchanged among the group.

It all happened in a haze. Han wanted to be happy to be rescued, but he didn't know what he'd do once he got back home, knowing it wasn't going to be much of a home without Leia. The initial relief had given way to reality once again, and as he felt his legs wobbling underneath him he lowered himself down to sit, hugging his arms around his chest and shivering on a rock while the slaves were standing about, briefing the soldiers on what had happened. After a few minutes, Trev came up behind him and slipped a blanket over Han's shoulders.

"You look like you could use this," Trev said. Han looked up and wondered why Trev didn't seem to be as affected by the cold.

"There's a big galaxy waiting for you out there, Trev. You know what you're gonna do?"

He shook his head. "I have no idea. But listen, I just wanted to say thanks. Thanks for helping me out and trying to get me outta here."

"Don't worry about it. I'm just sorry that your parents can't be there for you."

For a moment, Han thought he heard Trev's name being called repeatedly. Seeing the kid's ears perk up as the voice got closer and more insistent. "Trev!" He heard the female voice exclaim, and then as he turned his head the kid's eyes widened in shock as he found where it was coming from. "Mom?"

"Trev!" He heard a man's voice yell before he saw the couple racing in their direction, Trev turning to run toward them. "Dad!"

Trev flung his scrawny body into his parents' arms, the couple dropping to their knees and holding their son tightly. The reunion was enough to bring tears to Han's eyes, and he reached up to wipe the moisture from his cheeks, then ran his fingers through his wet hair and looked down at the ground.

He couldn't watch them anymore without thinking of the reunion he wouldn't get to share with his wife, feeling suddenly more empty and cold than he had in weeks. His dear, sweet Leia. He could almost hear her voice right now, calling to him.

"Han!"

He wrapped the blanket tightly around his shoulders, wondering if he'd ever feel warm again.

"Han!" The voice said more loudly. This no longer seemed like a voice inside his head, and he turned and looked toward the cruiser.

It was her eyes he saw first, the combination of concern and relief shining through them. She was practically running toward him, as fast as her pregnant body would allow. For a moment he wondered if his eyes were deceiving him, but then she said his name again, and he saw the smile cross her lips and his heart swelled to a size he didn't think his chest could contain. "Leia?" He said in disbelief, nearly choking on the word.

Her smile became more evident and he stood and moved toward her with his arms extended, desperate to feel her in his arms and still wondering if this was some sort of dream.

Her smile got wider in spite of the glassiness of unshed tears in her eyes that became more evident as she got closer. "Leia!" Han shouted as his long legs strode toward her, closing the distance until finally, she was there, touching him, throwing herself into his arms with such force that he was afraid he might've hurt the babies. But he couldn't keep himself from squeezing her tightly in his arms, wanting to reassure himself that she was really there, that she was really alive. That he really had just been given back his future.

His face was buried against her neck, inhaling her sweet scent while he couldn't figure out whether to laugh or cry, so he settled on some combination of both. He spoke quietly against her neck, his voice shaking with pent up emotions, "I thought I lost you."

She nodded against him, still squeezing him tightly and rubbing her hand along his back. "I know. I'm sorry. I was afraid we wouldn't be able to find you."

He released his grip on her, leaning back to look at her, then finding himself unable to keep from placing kisses against every centim of her face as he placed his hands against her warm cheeks. He started at her ear, moving across her cheek, on her nose up to her forehead, and then finally bringing his lips against hers, savoring the touch and knowing that just recently he had been lamenting the fact that this was something he'd never get to experience again. It all seemed about a thousand times better than he remembered.

Once he pulled away to look at her face again, Leia moved her hands up and down Han's arms. "Gods, Han, you're freezing!"

He pressed his forehead to hers. "I don't care."

She smiled, brought her hands up against his face and kissed him again. Slipping his hand to rest on her belly, he broke away from the kiss and asked, "How is everything, are they okay?"

She nodded. "Everything is coming along fine, Han. They're perfect."

"Like you," he said.

"I'm not sure about that. If I was so perfect I would've been here to get you much sooner. I wouldn't have put you through all of that. I'm sorry that you had to think-"

"Shhhh…." He said. "I don't care about anything anymore except that you're here and I got my family back."

She leaned up and kissed him again, and then he pulled her into an embrace, unwilling to let her go as they held each other tightly.

"Hey," Han heard over his shoulder, turning to see Trev in between his parents. "Looks like we were both wrong, huh?"

"Never been so glad to be wrong in my life, kid," Han said. "Trev, this is-"

"Leia," he finished, holding out his hand. "I heard a lot of nice things about you. I'm glad that I got to meet you."

Leia smiled and took the boy's hand. "Nice to meet you, too."

"Trev here for some reason liked talking to me. So I decided to try and help him out. You've got a great kid here," Han said to Trev's parents before shaking their hands.

"Thank you, sir. Thanks for looking after him," Trev's father said.

"Hey, if anyone was looking after anyone I'd say it was the other way around," Han smiled, then leaned down and looked at Trev, suddenly unable to stop himself from pulling him into a hug. "I'm gonna miss you, kid," he said seriously. "Thanks for keeping me going."

Trev pulled away and smiled up at Han. "What are friends for?" Then he reached up and tugged at Han's collar, pulling him closer so he could whisper in his hear. "You were right. She _is _really pretty."

Han laughed and mussed the boy's hair as he stood up, wrapping an arm around his wife's shoulders.

"Thank you so much," Trev's mother said and Han simply nodded as the family turned and walked toward the cruiser.

Leia snuggled up against Han's side and he relished the warmth of her body pressed to his. "Ready to go home, Han?" Leia asked.

He smiled down at her and kissed her forehead. "Home sounds like a great idea."


	10. Chapter 10

Han kept Leia's hand in his as he made his way back to his ship, intercepted by an anxious Wookiee who nearly crushed his ribs when he picked him up off the ground. "I missed you, too, pal," Han said with his face buried against Chewie's fur.

Once back on his feet he turned to see his Jedi brother-in-law with a smirk on his face. "It's good to have you back, Han. Now maybe Leia will get some sleep."

Han and Luke exchanged a quick hug. "That goes for both of us," Han replied as he reached over and pulled Leia up against his side. "Now let's go home."

Not long after they were on a course for Coruscant, Leia informed him that while she loved having him back, she'd be even more thrilled if he took a much-needed shower. After washing a few weeks worth of grime from his body and finally getting in a clean shave, he'd dressed and made his way back to the galley for some food, finding that Chewie was already a step ahead of him, placing a large bowl of Corellian stew in front of Han the moment he sat down. It was further evidence of how much he'd missed being surrounded by his loved ones.

While he ate, Han heard that Trev's parents were the reason they'd been found at all, and Leia told him about the decoy ship that had led him to believe that they'd been killed.

He ate hastily, both due to hunger and due to the fact that he wanted nothing more than to retreat to his cabin with Leia. After slurping up the last remnants from his bowl and some good-natured teasing about poor table manners from the Wookiee, Han bid goodnight to Luke and Chewie, took Leia's hand and led her back to their cabin.

Once inside with the door shut, Han simply pulled Leia into a tight hug, holding her against his chest and kissing the top of her head. "I missed you, sweetheart."

"They didn't hurt you, did they?"

Han leaned back to look at her and shook his head. "No. I know you're not going to believe this, but I didn't give 'em too much trouble." He gave her a half-hearted smile, and she turned serious again.

"Han, are you all right? Really?"

She reached up and brushed the hair away from his forehead and then placed her hands against his now-smooth cheeks. "Sweetheart, I'm fine. I have maybe a couple of bruises. But just seeing you, I completely forgot about that. I thought-"

She reached up and placed a finger against his lips. "But you were wrong. I wouldn't leave you. You know that."

Feeling tears coming to his eyes, Han brought his hands up to frame her face. "I couldn't stand to think that you, that my whole family," he added, lowering a hand to her belly, "was taken away from me."

The tears fell, unbidden, and she brought her thumbs up to wipe them away. "All three of us are right here, Han. I can't imagine what you must've gone through, but it's over now. We're together."

He swallowed down the lump that had risen in his throat and took in her beautiful face. "It's because of you that I was still alive when you found me."

"Why's that?"

"I thought about what you did when you lost everything, about how you didn't let the grief overcome you. I almost let it, but then I saw Trev and everyone else… I couldn't just let things stay that way."

She brought his hand to her mouth and kissed it.

"I don't know how you did it," Han said.

She exhaled a long breath, and he could see the pain in her brown eyes when she thought about the tragedy she'd suffered. "Sometimes I wonder myself," she replied before turning one side of her mouth into an unexpected grin. "But you know what? Even though I lost the only family I'd ever known, that very same day I found a new one. I just didn't know it yet."

He leaned in and kissed her, tenderly at first before his need for her intensified. He felt her swollen belly pressed up against his hips and could hardly breathe at the realization that everything he thought he'd lost had been given back to him. Leia briefly stepped away from him to allow the simple, long, deep purple dress she'd been wearing fall to the floor, leaving her clad in only her undergarments. Han didn't fail to notice that her belly wasn't the only part of her body that had gotten bigger since he'd last seen her.

He couldn't keep the smile from coming over his face, and his eyes were glued to her body before coming up to look at her face again. She wrapped her arms around herself and he could tell immediately that she was feeling self conscious. "Gods, Leia. You look incredible."

She seemed unconvinced. "I don't know." She reached down and ran her hands over the slightly-stretched skin on her belly. "I've never felt this… _big_ before. You still think I look ok?"

His jaw nearly dropped. "Is that a trick question? You're standing in front of me with hardly any clothes on, carrying my children, and you expect me to think that it's not the most beautiful sight I've ever seen?" He closed the distance between them and slid his hands against hers, still resting on her expanding stomach.

Her face reddened, and he loved that he could still do that with such ease. Deciding to push further, he moved his hands higher to touch her engorged breasts. "And these… what can I say? Wow."

He lowered his mouth to them and felt her head arch back as a moan escaped her lips, a sound that sent his heart racing in a way he hadn't experienced since he'd last been with her. "Well, enjoy them while they last. They're not going to stick around forever. Are you still going to be okay with them when they aren't this big?"

He briefly lifted his head away from her skin to look her in the eyes. "Sweetheart, whichever ones are attached to you, no matter what size, those are always going to be my favorites. You know, as long as you continue to let me do whatever I want with them."

He lowered his head again and felt her hands come up to into the hair on the back of his head as she held him against her. "You know you're going to have to share for a little while."

"It's okay, as long as eventually I get 'em all to myself again," he replied, his voice muffled against her skin. His fingers tenderly slid up her back to gently release the clasp that held her bra together, and he leaned away to allow the straps to slide off her arms before tossing the garment aside.

He felt her hands slide between them and quickly work the buckle of his belt, unzipping his fly and lowering his pants to the floor so he could step out of them. "Mmm…" she said as her hand slipped under the waist band of his boxer-briefs, "When's the last time that happened?"

"Ah," he sighed as her hand caressed him. "It's been a while. So you might have to be gentle with me."

"We'll see," she teased as a smirk crossed her lips.

"Either way, I'm all yours, princess," he said before leaning in to kiss her deeply.

Her touch seemed to set his skin on fire and as he felt her arms greedily wrap around him he realized that she had missed him as much as he'd missed her. He had a flash to the woman he'd left behind those weeks ago, the one who couldn't get enough of him. He was eager to pick up where they'd left off.

He slipped his hands underneath her and lifted her into his arms. Her legs clenched around his waist and he felt like he might die right then and there. They kissed as though they would never be able to again, their lips moving frantically against one another while Han carried Leia back to their bunk and used all of his willpower to lower her gently to the bed instead of collapsing on top of her, knowing he had to be at least a little bit careful given that she was currently carrying their twins.

He quickly pulled the shirt from his body and lowered himself on top of her, kissing her lips and then moving down to those breasts he couldn't get enough of. Slowly, he trailed his mouth down her body, pausing at her belly and speaking softly against her. "Hey there, little ones. Daddy's back. I can't wait to meet you, but for now…"

His head slipped lower and he placed a gentle kiss against the only piece of fabric left between them. Bringing his fingers gently up her thighs he reached up and pulled away the soft material, leaving her completely exposed to him.

He looked up into her eyes and saw anticipation there before he lowered his head and heard her let out a gasp as she arched her hips against him, her hands running through his hair and pulling him closer. She moaned his name and he stopped and looked up at her. "Miss me?"

Her chest heaving as she breathed deeply, she looked at him with a satisfied grin. "You have no idea."

He lowered his head once again and after a few moments felt her gently pushing him away. "Stop, please. I need you."

Not needing to be told twice, he crawled on top of her, purposely dragging his body against hers as he made his way up, leaning his head down for a passionate kiss. Not that long ago he'd missed her so much he could barely breathe, and it was as though his burning lungs were getting their first taste of oxygen after he'd been under water too long. He needed to reunite with her completely, solidify the bond they shared that he had recently feared gone forever, become a part of her again in every possible way.

He was struggling to hold himself up on his arms, not wanting to rest his full weight against her belly and their children. A few weeks without much sleep and not enough food had had more of an affect on him than he'd realized.

She seemed to notice his plight as his arms started trembling under his weight and he brought his mouth down to trace kisses along her neck. "It's all right, Han," he heard her whisper reassuringly. "Want to trade places?"

He looked at her and nodded, rolling over on his back and allowing her to straddle him easily. It gave him a chance to see the look of contentment on her face as they finally joined, relishing the thought that he was the one responsible and overwhelmed with the feeling of completeness as her body enveloped his. She leaned over and pressed herself against him, holding him close as she slowly rocked her body back and forth, her breath warm against his ear and her smooth skin tickling the sparse hairs on his torso.

His hands had been resting on her hips and then he brought them up to her breasts as she leaned up and threw her head back, her hair cascading down and brushing against his thighs. Gods, he had missed her. He silently thanked every deity he had ever heard of for giving her back to him.

Somehow holding himself together, he sat up and wrapped his arms tightly around her while she remained in his lap, clutching him tightly and turning her head to kiss him once again. Needing the stimulation, he began moving his hips beneath her, feeling her breath in his ear as she whispered, "I love you."

He'd heard those words hundreds of times from her, but they produced a tightness in his chest now and he held her closer. His tempo beneath her quickened as he used her upper body for leverage. This was a pleasure he thought he'd never get to experience again. The aching and emptiness in his heart he'd been suffering through for the past few weeks was suddenly washed away by the closeness and bond that he shared with his wife. He felt her fingers digging into his shoulders and her body responded to the build-up once again, finally pushing him over the edge as he shuddered in release and called out her name.

Spiraling down from his euphoria and bringing his lips to meet hers once again, he wasn't able to hold himself up anymore, but her arms wouldn't release him and she slowly lowered him back down to the bed while his breathing returned to normal. He didn't want to let her go, savoring the weight of her body on top of his. Slowly running his hands up and down her bare back he whispered in her ear. "I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't come back to me. I thought it was over."

She leaned back just enough to look him in the eyes, her face awash in contentment. "I promise never to leave you," she said seriously, even though he knew it wasn't a fair promise to make. He lost himself once again in her kiss before she pulled away to speak, her nose brushing against his as she stared deep into his eyes. "And I'll always be there to save you."

She kissed him again, and after a few more moments of simply holding each other, he felt her slide off to his side and curl herself around him while he lay on his back. He'd spent the past several weeks lying on the cold, hard ground by himself, dreaming of Leia and thinking that he'd never get to hold her again. This was much more than he had any right to hope for.

He had one arm wrapped around her shoulders while the other rested on her belly, and without even realizing it, his emotions got to him and he was unable to stop himself before a few tears escaped his eyes, at least one of them hitting Leia. He sniffed.

"Han, are you all right?"

She lifted her head and looked at him in concern and reached up to brush the hair away from his forehead. "I'm sorry, it's just…"

He found himself unable to speak for a moment. He wasn't even sure he could look at her without completely breaking down. Her thumb came up to wipe the tears from his cheeks. "It's all right, Han. I'm here, sweetheart. I'm right here," she said again as she ran her hand along his chest comfortingly.

Every touch seemed to remind him of the pain he'd felt when he'd thought she was gone forever. It was as though all of the emotion he wouldn't let out then was coming out now. He recalled crying silently in the night with nobody to comfort him and the fear that there was nothing left for him but to die alone.

"It's all right, Han," Leia repeated again, soothingly. "You know, the pregnant woman is the one who's supposed to get all emotional," she teased.

He let out a laugh then, loving that she always seemed to know how to make him feel better. "I'm sorry, honey. It must be the lack of sleep. I just can't believe you're here again."

"There's nothing to be sorry about. Han, I knew what you thought happened. And I thought about what it would feel like if the situation was reversed. Just thinking about it was…."

He looked up and saw her glassy eyes. "Don't you start, too," he teased.

She laughed a little. "I'm sorry. I guess we are quite a pair, aren't we?"

"Perfect," he said, leaning down to kiss her forehead. He wiped the last of the tears from his cheeks and tightened his arms around her. "Let's try not to think about what we almost lost and just think about what we've got, deal?"

She looked up at him and smiled. "Deal."

He kissed her forehead, and as Han ran his hand over her stomach, he suddenly felt some movement that made his heart skip a beat.

Leia noticed his hand stilling and looked up at him. "Did you feel that?"

He could feel the huge grin crossing his face and he looked at her and nodded. It was merely a flutter of movement, but the thought of his children moving inside Leia's stomach, finally coming into being, warmed his heart somehow even more than he had already been experiencing. "Our babies are moving?"

She smiled back and nodded. "I started feeling it a bit not long after you left. All I wanted was for you to come back so you could feel them, too. What do you think?"

He took in the moment, still sensing the occasional movement beneath his hand. "It's incredible."

"I thought so, too," she replied with a smirk as she brought her hand to sit atop his.

"Leia, let's find out what they're going to be."

She seemed a little confused. "What?"

"I mean, if it's boys or girls or both. I want to know what we have to look forward to."

"I like that idea," she said, holding him close. "We'll make an appointment as soon as we get back."

"I love you," he whispered as he shut his eyes, unable to keep them open any longer.

"I love you."

The couple had fallen into an exhausted sleep, and Leia awakened first, her head still resting against Han's chest as it rose and fell with each breath he took. Looking at the chrono, she noticed that she'd gotten her first full night's sleep since she'd found out he'd been captured. Last night she had comforted him with the reassurance that she was still there, but she had also spent the past few weeks worrying that she would be giving birth to those children without having a father there to witness it, or even be there later to help raise them.

She ran her hand up and down his chest and saw his eyes flutter open and look down at her. He still looked drawn and tired; she suspected he had slept even less than she had over these last weeks.

"Good morning, sweetheart," Han said.

"Good morning," she replied, reaching a hand up to brush against his cheek. "I've missed waking up to this handsome face."

Han took the hand that was already draped over her side and slid it down to her belly. "And I've missed waking up with a naked woman in bed with me."

"Mmm…" she replied, slipping a hand beneath the sheets. "Speaking of missing things…."

Han's eyes shut and he took a deep breath at the sensation of her touch, "I guess this means I didn't miss my favorite part of your pregnancy."

She rolled on top of him and kissed him, hard. "I guess not."


	11. Chapter 11

"Are you ready, Han?" Leia asked her husband as they ventured into the doctor's office. They had only been home for a few days and Leia had gotten the soonest available appointment to find out the gender of their babies.

Han's hand slipped around Leia's. "I've been ready for a while."

She gave his hand a little squeeze as they entered the examining room. They had barely left each other's sides since their return. Han had quickly returned to his old self and Leia had forgotten how nice it was to have him there to help her during the pregnancy, taking care of her every possible need. Although he joked that she had become lazy in his absence as she hadn't made any progress on the nursery since he'd been gone, since it was still just the empty bedroom down the hall. It was a project they were not going to be able to get away with putting off much longer.

Leia lay down on the examining table and Han sat next to her, his warm hand never releasing hers as her thumb absently stroked his rough skin. The anticipation had reduced the expectant parents to silence as they awaited the news they'd been longing to hear.

They were both startled by the sound of the door swishing open and the doctor who smiled back at them, offering her hand.

"Mr. and Mrs. Solo, good to see you."

Leia always appreciated that the doctor didn't generally use their formal titles. She liked thinking of her and Han as just Mr. and Mrs. Solo, not captain and princess, soon to be Mom and Dad.

"Thank you, doctor," Han said as handshakes were exchanged. Leia could see the anxiousness in his eyes. It was what she imagined their children might look like someday when they awakened on the morning of their birthdays.

"Well, let's see if we can find out what you're going to have, shall we?"

Leia lifted up the loose shirt she was wearing to expose her belly to the cool air. After checking on a few other things and determining that everything was progressing as normal, the doctor applied the scanner to Leia's abdomen, causing her to shiver as the image of two, tiny bodies appeared on the screen. No longer the unidentifiable beings, Leia saw the distinct outline of their two, tiny little babies, curled up and nestled against one another, fighting for space in their mother's not-quite-large-enough abdomen.

Her lips curled up into a smile and she felt Han's hand tighten around hers to the point where she had to squeeze him back to get him to loosen his grip. The doctor looked at them warmly and Leia realized she'd been unconsciously holding her breath as she listened to the two, tiny heartbeats.

"It looks like we have a baby boy and a baby girl in there. Congratulations."

Leia felt tears coming to her eyes and the grin she couldn't keep from spreading across her face. The doctor turned off the scanner and stood. "I'll leave you two alone for a few minutes," she said before disappearing through the door.

Leia's eyes had been focused on the blank screen that had shown them their children and then she turned to see Han staring back at her with adoration in his sparkling hazel eyes. Without saying a word, he moved to sit next to her on the table, leaned down and kissed her before pulling her to sit up into his embrace, their arms wrapped tightly around one another.

Leia hadn't given a whole lot of thought as to what their children might turn out to be. Two girls, two boys, one of each, it didn't matter as long as they had two, beautiful babies. She suspected that they would've reacted exactly the same no matter what the outcome, but somehow knowing that they would soon be the parents of a daughter and a son made the whole thing seem more real.

Releasing her from his strong arms, Han leaned back, cupped her face in his hands and kissed her forehead, keeping his face close to hers. "A boy and a girl, huh? You sure know how to not disappoint a guy."

She laughed. "I guess this way we immediately get everything we could possibly want."

"Yeah. I get a beautiful baby girl to treat like a princess and spoil rotten, and a son to carry on the Solo name and help me protect his sister from any boy who even thinks of looking at her."

Wrapping her hands around his neck she moved her lips in to kiss him again, amused by the protectiveness he was already feeling towards his children. She did not envy the young man who inevitably someday would have to face Han Solo as the father of his date.

After a few moments, she leaned back and pressed her forehead to his. "Ready to go home?"

His hands were running up and down her arms. "As long as we're planning on celebrating this news the way we've usually been celebrating lately."

Smiling and shaking her head, she shrugged her shoulders and responded, "Why mess with such a good system? As long as you promise that now we can get to work on that nursery we've been neglecting since we know exactly what we're expecting. And names! We have to figure out what we're going to name them." She stood and eyed him seductively as they headed for the door. "But I suppose that can wait until after."

"You've got a deal."

* * *

Each made good on their promise. They made sure to 'celebrate' at every opportunity and spent much of the remainder of their free time finishing the nursery that would soon be where their children slept. Leia learned of Han's inability to follow directions and that he knew curse words in more languages than he'd previously admitted to, and Han learned that Leia enjoyed watching him when he worked on putting baby furniture together without his shirt on.

Late one evening when they had exhausted themselves before sleep, they'd finally discussed what they'd be naming the twins. While Leia loved hearing Han talk to her stomach and to his "baby girl" and "baby boy" she also wanted to hear him call them by name. After Han jokingly insisting that their first-born son had to be named Chewbacca or they'd both get their arms torn out of their sockets, followed by a long list of other namesakes that would not be utilized – Luke, Lando, Mon, and even Carlist, Han asked her if she might like to name the boy after her father, Bail. And maybe the girl after her mother, Breha.

While she loved that he was thoughtful enough to even suggest such a thing, she wanted their children to have their own identities with their own names. So after a bit more debate, they'd settled on Jaina and Jacen. Han leaned down and pressed his lips to Leia's protruding belly once again, making Leia wonder over the past few months if he had spent more time kissing her lips or her stomach. "Hey, little Jaina and Jacen. You guys oughtta know that you're gonna have the best mommy in the galaxy. I can't say much about your dad, but-"

Leia reached down and pressed one hand to Han's cheek to stop him and another hand against her stomach, where she immediately felt a kick from one of their tiny little feet. "Your daddy's pretty great, too," she said simply, smiling down at her husband before he kissed his way up her body and pulled her close before they both fell into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

The next few months had passed quickly. Leia's belly grew to levels Han didn't believe possible, but given her small stature and the fact that there were two babies in there, he supposed he should've expected as much - not that he would have ever mentioned it to her. Big or not, just knowing that she was carrying his children made him constantly in awe of her.

Around seven months in she'd begun to have trouble sleeping, unable to find a comfortable position. Han had been as sweet and caring as any expectant father could be, and probably more so. He'd gently rub her back when it hurt, massaged at her swollen feet, satisfied her every food craving, kept up with the chores around the house, sat and talked to her while she soaked in the tub and told her how beautiful she was on a constant basis. It still seemed like it wasn't nearly enough to repay her for what she was giving him.

While she had snapped at him at times - the unfortunate result of hormones and mounting frustrations and discomfort - she'd mostly just been grateful for his presence and reminded of how lucky she was that he was even there with him in the first place.

One night she was lying awake, tossing and turning as much as her huge belly would allow when she heard Han speak next to her. "You gonna find a good position sometime soon?"

Leia heaved a sigh. "Probably not."

Han rolled onto his side so that he was facing her and ran a hand over her stomach. "Anything I can do to help?"

She turned to see him looking at her, his face still pressed against his pillow. She knew that he at times felt helpless in this situation. He always wanted to be able to fix things, but sometimes there was just nothing he could do. "I don't think so."

"Are you sorry you let me do this to you?"

She reached down and placed her hand over his. "No, of course not. I just want it to be over now. I'm tired of being pregnant, Han. I'm tired of being so big, I'm tired of not being able to walk around like a normal human being, I'm tired of having to go to the bathroom every five minutes and I'm tired of not being in control of my own body."

He pulled her hand to his lips and kissed it. "I know, sweetheart. I wish there was something I could do."

"I'm sorry, it not just that, either. I really want to meet these little people we made."

That caused Han to smile. "I wanna meet 'em, too," he said. "It won't be long. Remember, the doctors said that you probably wouldn't carry them full term since there are two of 'em. Then we just have to worry about trying to figure out how to be parents."

"You have any idea how to do that?" She asked him, trying not to convey to him that sometimes the thought of being someone's mother still terrified her.

"Not a clue. But I figure if we just love 'em as much as possible, the rest will all just fall into place."

She smiled and shut her eyes, suddenly not feeling nearly as uncomfortable. If this man could always make her feel better with a simple few words or a warm embrace, she had no doubts that he was going to make a wonderful father.


	12. Chapter 12

It was as though the twins had heard their mother's pleas, because it was only a few days later when she'd found herself in the hospital. Han looked more nervous than she'd ever seen him, the blood draining from his face and not returning from the time she'd called him into their room and told him, "It's time."

She could tell he knew that there was really nothing he could do to help the situation aside from simply being there to hold her hand and tell her it would all turn out okay. Even though the tone of his voice suggested that he was not entirely convinced of that himself. His presence had helped soothe her, and thinking back to when he'd been missing she couldn't imagine what it would be like if she had to go through this alone. A simple squeeze from his hand as it held hers was all it took to let her know that he would be there for her every step of the way.

When they'd brought her through, she was told there was no amniotic fluid left and they'd have to operate rather than let her deliver them naturally. The idea of being cut open was not appealing, but she was assured that it was a very routine procedure and as long as they acted quickly then the babies would most likely be just fine. She'd seen the sheen of sweat grace Han's forehead and hated causing him worry. Reaching up and placing her palm against his cheek, she'd reassured him, "It'll be all right, Han. We'll all be fine."

Releasing a breath, he smiled at her, obviously not believing her, and replied, "I'm the one who's supposed to be saying that kind of stuff to you."

After smiling at him and realizing there was probably nothing more she could say to ease the worry so evident in his eyes, her face turned serious and she took his hand in both of hers, letting the look that passed between him give him all of the reassurance he would need. He kissed her forehead just before they wheeled her away from him, telling her that he could join her in the operating room but he needed to be fitted with sterile clothing.

It all happened fast. After what felt like an excruciatingly long time waiting for Han to return to her side, Leia was draped in a curtain and couldn't see what was going on below her waist as a few doctors and nurses bustled about the operating room. Feeling a warm hand enveloping hers, she looked up to see the unmistakable hazel eyes of her husband peeking out from above his surgical mask, the small bit of skin visible to her still looking paler than ever while the rest of his body was covered in light green scrubs.

She didn't take her eyes off of Han as he held her hand tightly and watched the doctors working. In what felt like seconds, she saw the smile in his eyes and he turned to her and said, "Jaina's out."

Then she heard the cry; the most beautiful sound she'd ever heard. It was so quiet; evidence of the tiny lungs that were responsible for it. Moments later it was joined by a second, similar noise as Han told her that Jacen was out. Their children had been born.

Han's grip on her hand was almost painfully tight and he leaned down and did his best impression of a kiss on her forehead through the surgical mask. Leia managed to exhale, "Let me see them."

Han turned to the doctors and held out his arms as he was handed the first, tiny infant, all wrapped up in a white blanket. She looked impossibly small in his large hands, and Leia had never seen such a wonderful sight as Han cradling their daughter in his arms. He'd pulled the mask away from his face and she could see his beaming smile and the glassiness of unshed tears in his eyes.

"Hi, baby," Han said. Leia reached her hand up to rest against Han's forearm and he turned to face her. "That's your mommy right there," Han said, lowering the tiny body so that Leia could see Jaina's face.

She looked wrinkled and red and almost like some sort of non-human, but it was still a beautiful sight. Leia reached a hand up and ran her fingers along her tiny face, the baby's little cries calming at her mother's soothing touch. "And that's your daddy, sweetheart," Leia said, nearly choking on the words.

Leia wished she could hold her, but the doctors told her she had to wait until they had closed her up and brought her to the recovery room. Han handed Jaina off to the nurse to get cleaned up a bit more and took Jacen in his arms, once again the smile returning to his face and lowering him down so his mother could see him.

Jacen's face was similarly wrinkled and wonderful all at the same time, and his big, wide eyes stared out at this strange, new world he'd been brought into. "That's your son, Han," Leia said. "What do you think?"

He laughed at her. "I think maybe we should keep him," Han replied.

"I think so, too," she said, leaning over and kissing her son's tiny forehead.

A nurse came up behind Han and took Jacen away, and Han turned back to his wife. "Are you all right?" He asked.

Smiling and locking her eyes with his, she answered, "I've never been better."

He leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips, then moved to whisper in her ear. "You're incredible, Leia. I love you."

She pressed her hand against his neck to hold his head to her and replied, "I love you, too." He leaned back when she released him and kissed her again before he was asked to step aside so that they could finish closing her up. He told her he'd go out and tell Luke and Chewie that everything was okay, and then he'd meet her in the recovery room.

As much as she hated to see him go, she did want their friends to know that everything had gone smoothly and their babies were perfect.

What felt like hours later, but was surely only minutes, Leia was resting comfortably in a half-seated position on her bed in the recovery room with Han sitting next to her, an arm thrown over her shoulder and his chin resting on the top of her head.

Since the babies were a bit premature they were running some tests to make sure that their tiny little lungs were capable of breathing on their own, and then they would be brought in so that Leia could finally hold them.

When one nurse came in and placed one of the infants in Leia's arms, she didn't even care which one it was, as long as it was hers. The second was brought in and given to Han, who was told he had Jacen. The twins were sound asleep while their parents gazed down at them with giddy smiles.

While Leia had known this moment was coming for eight months, nothing could've prepared her for what she was feeling now. And while she knew that this kind of thing happened every day, it didn't seem any less of a miracle that what was just yesterday two people had suddenly turned into four and a whole new family.

"How can I love them so much already?" Leia said. "I just met them."

"I feel the same way, sweetheart," Han said before he kissed Leia's forehead.

Her heart swelled as she looked at the little girl in her arms and at Han holding their son. There was a time when the thought of having children scared her to death. Actually, it still did on some level. But after having these two babies in her life for only a few minutes – the two children that linked her and Han together completely – she couldn't imagine what her life would be like without them. It somehow made her love her husband even more, which she'd never believed possible. She hoped that the adoring look on his eyes as he gazed at his children's faces never faded. And she suspected that it wouldn't.

"Thank you, Han, for helping me make these beautiful babies."

"Hey, I'm the one who should be thanking you."

"And don't you forget it," she teased.

* * *

Once they brought their new babies home, Han had learned a whole new definition of the word exhausted. The twins had slept in their parents' room for the first few weeks and Han felt like he'd barely even close his eyes before one of them was fussing and he'd get up and find the source of the noise and rest the infant in its mother's arms so she could nurse it.

The sight of his wife and his baby constantly reminded him that any exhaustion he'd been feeling was entirely worth it. He'd never had any blood relatives that he knew of. And to look at these children and know that they were _his _and that they shared his blood filled a hole in his heart he hadn't even realized was there. While he'd always felt that Leia completed him, Jacen and Jaina only seemed to give him more than he had ever dared to hope for.

Weeks later, the twins were put to bed for the first time in their nursery, left sleeping soundly as their parents crept back to their bedroom to share a night alone. While Leia completed her nightly routine in the 'fresher, Han pulled a small box from his pocket, running his thumb over the velvety smoothness of its exterior and anxiously awaiting her coming to bed.

Clad in his dark blue sleep pants, Han remained propped up on a pillow and struggled to remain awake. Once Leia emerged, her simple, long white nightgown flowing all the way to her feet, he sat up a little straighter and smiled as she climbed in next to him and snuggled up to his side.

He almost didn't want to disturb his obviously-exhausted wife, but he couldn't help himself. "I've got a little something for you," he said.

Curious, she lifted her head from his chest and looked at him. "Oh, do you? What for?"

He held the little black box out to her and she grinned and took it from him. "Just something to thank you for giving me those two kids and for being the best wife a guy could ask for."

She flipped the lid open with her thumb and revealed a small, golden pendant and she reached in and pulled it from the box. "Oh, Han," she said, not taking her eyes off the jewelry, "It's beautiful."

"Open it up," he urged.

Eying the pendant, her thumb found the small button on the side that popped it open and revealed two tiny holos: one of Jacen, and one of Jaina. "You like it?" He asked.

"I love it," she said, turning and kissing him gently on the lips. He'd learned to get used to these small displays of affection, for it tended to be all they had the time or energy for. But just when he expected her to lean away from him and fall into an exhausted sleep, he felt her lips parting against his, urging him to do the same, and her arms wrapped around him and pulled him closer.

They hadn't made love since the twins were born, and he immediately felt his skin tingling at the sensation of her touch. While Han had of course missed sharing that intimacy with his wife, most of the time he didn't even have much time to think about it. But as she pulled him closer and his hands moved up and down her back he was reminded of just how much he'd missed feeling her warm body pressed up against his, returning his need for her with equal fervor.

He felt his entire body responding as she reignited a fiery desire inside of him and he wasn't sure he could take it if this wasn't going where he thought it was. Pulling away from her anxious lips and catching his breath, he looked deep into her eyes and had to ask. "Are you sure?"

She pressed her forehead against his and nodded. "At my last appointment the doctor said it was perfectly safe." He could see the longing in her brown eyes as she gazed at him, her breath warm against his lips. "I missed you."

He laughed. "I haven't been anywhere but right here with you."

"You know what I mean," she replied, running her hand through his hair. "I missed _us. _I don't want to wait anymore. You've been so patient and understanding through all of this, Han. I love you so much. Let's just take this slow, okay?"

They hadn't spent a minute apart since the children were born save for some precious little time in the 'fresher once a day if they were lucky. But he knew that she wasn't talking about missing his physical presence like when he was gone on a trip...or kidnapped. She missed him in this way, his hands exploring the curves of her body, his lips memorizing the shape of her leg, from the inside of her ankle to the soft flesh of her inner thigh. And as the full meaning of her words sunk in, he found it easy to slow things down and linger in this moment for as long as possible.

He kissed her again before leaning back to respond. "I love you, Leia," he said as she smiled back at him and brought her lips back to his, her enthusiasm showing him that she certainly wanted this just as much as he did while he did his best to take is slow – even though that had never been his strong suit.

A small part of Han had been worried that things might not be the same between him and Leia once they had the twins. But every touch and contented sigh from her reminded him that nothing would dull the desire they still had for one another. If anything, he sensed an urgency from her and her need to reconnect that forced him to use every ounce of his willpower to keep himself in check once her naked body was wrapped around his. He felt her soft skin beneath his fingers as they were reunited and they became lost in each other, as though there was no one else in the universe.

* * *

The new parents operated in a fog for quite a while but eventually became used to being at the constant beck and call of two demanding little babies. And any time Han was starting to feel overwhelmed with having to change what felt like the hundredth diaper of the day or his first born son thought it might be a good time to spit up all over his father, one or both of them would smile at him and any annoyance he'd been feeling would be obliterated faster than the _Falcon's _torpedoes could take out a Kashyyyk tree frog.

He didn't think anything could make him feel any better than his child's smile until they'd suddenly begun laughing. The sound of their giggles as he tickled their tiny little feet or placed tiny kisses on their round little bellies was almost addictive. It was as though everything he ever needed in the universe was embodied in that laugh. And as he heard his wife laughing in the doorway along with them, he knew he had all he'd ever wanted.

* * *

_**One year later…**_

"What time was he supposed to be here?" An anxious uncle asked.

Leia glanced at the chrono and then back to her brother. "Any minute now, don't worry. He wouldn't miss this for anything."

Leia couldn't believe her babies were turning one. It seemed like she'd barely blinked and they'd grown up before her eyes. As she absently played with the pendant around her neck that Han had given her, she looked over to the twins who were on the floor in the living room, laughing and playing together and occasionally tugging on their Uncle Chewie's fur. She looked down at them, their eyes the deep brown of their mother though she saw unmistakable signs of Han in their faces. It had been an exhausting year for sure, but she wouldn't have traded it for anything.

Startling her, the door swooshed open and Han stepped in. A large shopping bag on one hand and a cake box in the other. "All right, where are my two little one-year olds?"

The twins immediately turned and eyed their father excitedly, big smiles on their faces showing off their tiny little teeth. "Dada!" Jaina yelled as she got to her feet and raced to her father, her brother trailing right behind her. It was one of the few words they'd uttered to date, along with "Mama" which they'd said first - as Leia always liked to point out - and "No." Why was it that children always seemed to learn to say no long before they learned to say yes?

The children stopped at their father's feet and raised their arms up in the air, standing on their tiptoes as if they could will themselves higher. Leaning down, Han scooped the twins up into his arms and kissed each of them all over their faces and caused them to giggle and shriek. "Happy birthday, babies," he said excitedly. "Daddy brought you some presents and some cake. You want some cake before Uncle Chewie eats it all?"

The twins each nodded enthusiastically and Chewie growled from the kitchen. "Oh, don't worry, I know you wouldn't."

Han carried the twins into the kitchen and handed Jaina to Leia before giving his wife a kiss. "Miss me?"

"With all this excitement going on, I hadn't even noticed you were gone," she said.

"Nice. Now let's get these kids some cake, huh?"

They attempted to teach the twins to blow out birthday candles without success. Their big, brown eyes staring in wonder from their highchairs as their parents did it for them just before they were left to dig their pudgy little fingers into their little cakes and proceeded to get far more of it on their faces than in their mouths.

"Looks like they got their table manners from you, Han," Luke teased while Han took holos of her children's cake-covered faces.

"You got it wrong, kid. It's their cuteness they got from me. It's why Leia can't say no to 'em," he said before winking at his wife.

Leia was attempting to wipe some of the chocolate frosting that had made its way onto Jacen's forehead when she replied, "Who's the one who can't say no? When they start throwing their food on the floor and laughing I'm pretty sure you just start laughing with them like it's some sort of game."

Han walked over to his daughter and tickled her under her chin as she giggled in delight. "Who can resist these adorable little smiles?" He asked before leaning down and kissing each of their cheeks, getting a bit of cake on his lips in the process.

"You see what I have to put up with, Luke?" Leia said. "It's like having _three _children.

Luke smiled at his sister before Han interjected. "Hey, don't start teasing about that three kids stuff. It makes me exhausted just thinking about it."

Leia smiled at him and tried to keep from laughing.

Han's brow furrowed in confusion. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

She shook her head and reached to pull Jaina into her arms. "Never mind. Just help me get these two little monsters into a bath, okay?"

A while later, when two sugar-filled one-year olds were finally asleep and their two favorite uncles had gone home, Han and Leia were finally getting into bed.

Leia leaned her head against her husband's chest and draped an arm across him. "I can't believe it's been a year," he said.

"Me, neither," she replied. "They've grown up so much,"

"Yeah, but it's great to see their little personalities develop. And at least now they usually sleep all night. I like getting you all to myself again," he said, his hand slowly creeping up to brush against her breast through the material of her nightgown.

She couldn't keep the smirk from crossing her face and she decided she couldn't hold it in any longer. "Yeah, um, about that…"

* * *

**_Thank you to my loyal readers and reviewers. The feedback is what keeps me motivated to write. And thanks (or blame - you decide) once again goes to ShouldIGetOutandPush who helped me get through this little story and encouraged me to publish it even though I really just wanted to keep it to myself._**


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